mmmm^m^: 


agagiUBsaiuc»x)ss>ia*ias>^x^^x-ri^>iKL^sse»fs»if 


SSR^SaSKSiSSKSjij;' 


PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Duke  University 


I^re  Books 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2010  with  funding  from 
Dul<e  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/speakingofellenOOport 


ALBERT  ROSS' 
ROMANCES 

A  NEW  EDITION  AT  A  POPULAR  PRICE 


Albert  Ross  is  a  brilliant  and  wonderfully  successful 
writer  whose  books  have  sold  far  into  the  millions.  Prim- 
arily his  novels  deal  with  the  sex-problem,  but  he  depicts 
vice  with  an  artistic  touch  and  never  makes  it  unduly  at- 
tractive. Gifted  with  a  fine  dramatic  instinct,  his  charac- 
ters become  living,  moving  human  beings  full  of  the  fire  and 
passion  of  loving  iust  as  they  are  in  real  life.  His  stories 
contain  all  the  elements  that  will  continue  to  keep  him  at 
the  head  of  American  novelists  in  the  number  of  his 
admirers. 

Mr.  Ross  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  strength  as  well  as 
the  purity  of  his  work.  It  shows  that  he  is  not  obliged  to 
confine  his  pen  to  any  single  theme,  and  that  he  has  a 
good  a  right  to  be  called  the  "American  Eugene  Sue"  or  the 
"American  Zola." 

i2mo,  cloth.    Price  per  volume,  ^o  cents. 

Black  Adonis,  A  Original  Sinner,  An 

Garston  Bigamy,  The  Out  of  Wedlock 

Her  Husband's  Friend  Speaking  of  Ellen 

His  Foster  Sister  Stranger  than  Fiction 

His  Private  Character  Sugar  Princess,  A 

la  Stella's  Shadow  That  Gay  Deceiver 

Love  at  Seventy  Their  Marriage  Bond 

Love  Gone  Astray  Thou  Shalt  Not 

Moulding  a  Maiden  Thy  Neighbor's  Wife 

Naked  Truth,  The  Why  I'm  Single 

New  Sensation,  A  Young  Fawcett's  Mabel 
Young  Miss  Giddy 

G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  CO. 

Puljlishers  New  York 


Speaking  of  Ellen. 


By  Albert  Ross, 


AUTHOR    OF 


«Thou  Shalt    Not,"  "His  Private  Character,' 

•«In  Stella's  Shadow,"  "Why  I'm  Single/* 

"  Her  Husband's  Friend,"  Etc, 


"But  where  is  our  great  mother,  the 
State ! ' '  she  cried,  throwing  back  her 
head  ivith  a  superb  motion.  "  The  State, 
which  claims  oar  allegiance,  which  seizes 
our  substance  for  its  revenues,  which 
drafts  our  brothers  into  its  armies,  which 
punishes  our  treason  even  with  death! 
Every  child  that  is  born  adds  to  its 
strength  and  glory!  We  ivho  mah?  the 
State,  how  long  shall  we  appeal  to  it  in 
vain!" — Page  22. 


V 


NEW   YORKi 

ooprmoHT,  latti  bt  &  w.  irn  i  imiim. 

€ik    W,     Dillingham     Co.,    Publishers' 


K^/R 


TO  MY  READERS. 


Novels  have  grown  to  be  almost  as  necessary  to  civil- 
ized man  as  food  or  raiment.  Thousands  of  abie  pens 
are  endeavoring,  with  greater  or  less  success,  to  meet 
this  demand.  But  to  my  mind  the  ideal  work  of  fiction 
can  have  but  one  of  three  excuses  for  being  :  It  will 
cither  combat  some  evil,  inculcate  some  lesson,  or  discuss 
some  great  issue. 

"Thou  Shalt  Not"  has  been  called  "an  argument  in 
narrative  form."  It  is,  indeed,  an  argument,  and  its 
premises  cannot  be  successfully  assailed.  "  His  Private 
Character"  arraigns  the  mercenary  marriage  and  that 
kind  of  Notoriety  that  is  seeking  to  replace  Merit  on  the 
modern  stage.  The  phenomenal  sale  of  these  books 
prove  that  they  have  struck  the  popular  vein,  but  there 
are  still  other  living  issues  to  be  met. 

A  few  months  ago  I  was  led  into  a  prison,  in  which 
groans  and  curses  mingled  strangely  with  sobs  and  sup- 
plications. I  found  aged  men,  weary  women  and  sad- 
eyed  children,  with  no  means  of  escape.     When  I  de- 


▼1  TO   MY    READERS. 

manded  to  know  the  reason,  I  was  answered   flippaatljf 
that  these  things  always  had  been  and  always  would  be. 

As  I  stood  there,  lost  in  pity  for  the  unfortunates,  a 
sudden  gleam  shot  across  the  darkness.  A  ray  of  the 
blessed  sun  penetrated  the  noisome  depths.  The  con- 
§ned  ones  struggled  to  their  feet  and  took  deep  breaths 
of  joy !  A  heroic  soul  had  scaled  the  outer  wall  and 
forced  aside  a  heavy  stone.  I  did  not  see  the  man,  but 
some  one  said  his  name  was  Bellamy  ! 

I  could  not  have  made  that  bold  ascent,  but  by  the 
new  light  I  saw  many  things.  I  learned  that  the  prison 
had  doors  whose  bolts,  though  rusted  in  their  sockets,  were 
not  immovable.  I  realized  also,  for  the  first  time,  the 
utter  woe  that  the  darkness  had  concealed. 

*'  Speaking  of  Ellen  "  tells  a  little  of  what  I  «faw  and 
much  of  what  I  hope.  The  world  now  knows  its  Crime. 
It  can  no  longer  skulk  behind  the  plea  of  ignorance. 
Those  iron  doors  must  come  down  if  we  would  sav«>  our 
selves  and  our  posterity. 

Albert  Ross. 

Address  : 

No.  33  West  2^d  Street,  New  Voo-i, 


CONTENTS, 


Cbapt«r 

1,  The  Marchioness  of  Riv^erfall 

II.  A  Man  of  Business.    . 

III.  Love  vs.  $30,000  a  Year, 

IV.  '*  No  Flesh  as  Cheap  as  Human 
V.  The  Wickedest   Man. 

VI.  Converse,  the  Anarchist.    . 
VII.  A  Dressmaker's  Apprentice. 
VIII.  The  Slave  and  the  Master. 
IX.  "  It  May  Mean  Motherhood." 
X.  "Are You  a  Capitalist?" 
XI.  The  Agent's  Constable. 
XII.  The  "Mill-hand's  Errand.' 

XIII.  In  an  Armed  Camp.    . 

XIV.  "Yes,  I  Understand,"  she  said. 
XV.  An  Oath  on  the  Crucifix. 

XVI.  "  I  Am  a  Murderer."    . 
XVII.  A  Little  Fire  in  the  Grate. 
XVIII.  A  Strong  Light  Goes  Out. 
XIX.  "And  She  Did  Not  Refuse, 


Flesh. 


9 

24 
37 

50 
61 

73 

87 
102 
III 

121 

132 
142 

152 
165 

178 

193 

203 

215 
223 


vm 


OONTENTft 


Chapter 

XX.  An  Awful  Shock  and  Jar.   . 

XXI.  "  Whatever  the  World  May  Say 

XXII.  "Very  Much  Like  Anarchy." 

XXIII.  Where  Was  Nathalie  ? 

XXIV.  The  Dynamite  Plot.     . 
XXV.  Mr.  Stebbins  Sells  His  Stock. 

XXVI.  Two  Strange  Marriages. 
XXVII.  Edna  Makes  a  Revelation.   . 
XXVIII.  A  Journey  and  Return. 
XXIX  Looking  Backward.      «.        « 


.  237 
.  24C 

.  251 

.  271 
,  281 
.  294 

•  305 
317 

•  325 

•  339 


SPEAKING  OF  ELLEN 


CHAPTER    I 

THE   MARCHIONK98  OF  RJVERFAIJk 

"  Speaking  of  Ellen — " 

"  Yes  ?" 

"How  came  she   to  be  called   the   ' Mai-cKk>ness  of 

Riverfall  ? '  " 

The  young  man  to  whom  the  questiow  was  addressed, 
paused  a  moment. 

"  Local  history  does  not  record  the  origin  of  the  title," 
he  saio,  when  he  was  ready  to  reply. 

*'  What  do  you  fAini  was  the  reason  ?" 

*•  Her  manner,  I  should  say,  I'or  I  doubt  if  you  ever  saw 
anything  more  stately.  Though  why  '  Marchioness.'  in- 
stead of  '  Duchess '  or  '  Queen,'  I  do  not  understand.  She 
might  be  the  EMPRESS  of  Riverfall,  if  one  wer©  to 
judge  by  her  gait  and  manner.'' 

"You  did  not  mention  her  surname,  I  believe." 

"  She  has  none ;  no,  and  she  is  rather  proud  of  the 
fact.  Her  mother  was  an  English  girl,  who  used  to  work 
in  the  mills  here,  the  same  as  Ellen  does  now.  Her  father 
is  said  to  have  been  a  United  States  senator." 

[9I 


10  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

"  Then  Ellen  is—" 

"What  the  law  calls  illegitimate? — yes." 

Philip  Westland  noticed  a  peculiar  inflection  in  the  tone 
in  which  his  companion  uttered  these  words,  as  well  as 
something  strange  in  the  words  themselves. 

"  What  the  law  calls,"  he  repeated.  "  And  what  doei 
Hugh  Mayfield  call  it  T 

"  Love-born." 

Philip  Westland  laughed  lightly. 

"  Perhaps  the  United  States  senator  deserves  no  such 
compliment,"  he  said.  "He  is  quite  likely  to  have  been 
a  cold-hearted  villain,  without  redeeming  qualities." 

"Very  true,"  said  Mayfield,  "but  my  reference  was 
wholly  to  the  mother.  The  father's  part  in  a  child  is 
usually  selfish  ;  the  mother's  nearly  always  sublime.  The 
unfortunate  mill-girl  must  have  loved  the  senator,  and 
her  child  deserves  no  epithet  that  carries  with  it  a 
sting." 

Westland  looked  thoughtful. 

"  Ellen  could  have  taken  his  name,  though,"  he  said. 
*'  I  have  known  of  such  cases." 

"  She  would  not  honor  him  so  highly,"  was  the  positive 
rejoinder. 

"  Ah  !     She  lacks  the  filial  sense,  does  she?" 

"  On  that  side,  naturally.  Her  father  never  acknowl- 
edged her,  and  even  repudiated  her  mother,  when  in- 
formed of  her  condition.  He  was  not  a  senator  then,  but 
the  handsome  son  of  a  rich  father,  and  just  beginning  to 
rise  in  politics.  The  story  of  his  liason,  had  it  become 
known  to  the  world,  might  have  injured  him.  He  could 
have  provided  for  her  in  a  quiet  way,  but  she  would  have 
been  a  constant  menace.  The  easiest  thing  was  to  aban* 
don  her,  and  he  did  it." 

A  bitter  feeling  was  evident  in  the  sharp,  cutting  tones 


THK    MABCHIONE38    OF    BITKBFALL.  11 

of  the  speaker,  for  which  his  companion  could  find  no 
warrant  in  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  as  he  understood 
them. 

*'  You  speak  warmly,  Hugh,"  he  said.  "  What  interests 
you  so  deeply  in  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  ?" 

"  She  is  my  sister,"  was  the  unexpected  reply. 

"  Your  sister  !" 

"  Yes  ;  and   yours." 

Westland  looked  relieved. 

"  Oh,  in  the  broad  sense,  eh  ?  A  daughter  of  our 
mother  Eve.  Well,  she  is  a  credit  to  her  lineage,  in 
looks,  at  least,  if  all  accounts  are  true.  I  would  like  to 
know  her  better." 

Hugh  glanced  inquiringly  at  the  speaker's  face.  Its 
owner  evidently  belonged  to  what  is  called  in  some  cir- 
cles the  "upper  classes."  The  features  upon  which 
Hugh  gazed  were  those  of  a  man  who  considered  him- 
self born  to  rule.  Westland's  air,  while  perfectly  good- 
natured,  was  undoubtedly  aristocratic.  Mayfield,  on  the 
contrary,though  dressed  becomingly  in  his  best  suit,  could 
not  have  disguised  the  fact  that  he  was  a  "  working- 
man."  Nobody  would  have  mistaken  him  for  a  "gentle- 
man," as  that  word  is  so  often  misapplied.  His  hands 
were  hard  and  rough.  All  of  his  garments  together 
could  not  have  cost  as  much  as  the  chain  and  seals 
which  were  attached  to  Westland's  gold  watch. 

Everybody  in  Riverfall  knew  Hugh.  The  employes 
of  the  Great  Central  Corporation,  that  gigantic  concern 
which  owned  all  of  the  mills,  as  well  as  the  larger  part 
of  the  other  real  estate  in  Riverfall,  looked  up  to  him  as 
to  a  friend  upon  whose  intelligence  and  sympathy  they 
could  always  rely.  But  Mr.  Ezra  Baker,  the  mill  agent, 
who  could  find  no  fault  with  his  work,  suspected  him  of 


IS  SPEAKIHO    or    BIXCK. 

holding  incendiary  viewi  on  the  relations  between  Cap> 
ital  and  Labor. 

"  If  there  is  ever  another  strike  here,"  A^ent  Baker 
had  remarked  more  than  once,  to  various  directors,  "  I 
shall  keep  my  eye  on  that  young  Mayficld." 

Philip  Westland  had  reached  the  age  of  thirty  years, 
making  him  some  six  years  the  elder  of  the  young  "  mill- 
hand"  with  whom  he  was  walking  the  streets  of  River- 
fall  on  the  morning  when  he  is  introduced  to  the  reader. 
His  usual  abiding  place  was  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
where,  in  an  office  on  lower  Broadway,  he  was  supposed 
to  attend  to  the  management  of  the  estates  of  minors 
and  others — a  business  which  had  descended  to  him  by 
natural  process  from  his  deceased  father.  Among  the 
property  which  he  had  in  charge  was  considerable  stock 
in  the  Great  Central  Corporation,  as  well  as  sundry 
houses  and  lands  adjacent.  His  acquaintance  with 
Mayfield  was  at  first  accidental,  but  time  had  cemented 
it  into  a  friendship  which  apparently  bade  fair  to  be 
lasting.  Westland  liked  to  talk  with  Hugh.  He  had  a 
taste  for  controversy,  and  delighted  in  argument,  so  long 
as  it  was  conducted  on  an  agreeable  basis.  Mayfield 
cultivated  his  acquaintance  largely  because  he  thought 
him  arable  ground  for  the  labor  reform  seed  which  he 
was  so  fond  of  sowing.  One  was  an  aristocrat  up  to  a 
certain  line,  though  courteous  to  a  degree  in  his  inter- 
course with  those  whom  he  esteemed  beneath  him  in  a 
social  way.  The  other,  while  deeming  himself  the  equal 
of  any  man  who  walked  the  footstool  of  God,  was  proud 
to  be  a  Man  of  the  People,  and  had  no  desire  to  rise 
above  his  condition,  unless  he  could  lift  his  fellows  at 
the  same  time. 

"Why  do  you  wish  to  know  Ellen  ?"  he  asked.  "  You 
Would  find  her  haughty,  and  very  likely  you  w«uld  call 


THE   iLA.RCHIONEae    OF   KITERFALI..  18 

her  impolite.  She  has  little  love  for  men  in  your  sta- 
tion. To  her  a  gentleman  of  wealth  is  nothing  more 
or  less  than  a  robber  who  has  plundered  his  goods 
from  those  more  ignorant  or  weaker  than  him^?clf." 

Westland  broke  off  a  branch  from  an  apple-tree  which 
hung  over  the  road,  and  began  to  chew  the  white  and 
red  blossoms. 

"  Waiving  for  the  moment  the  point  that  I  am  not  a 
'gent^man  of  wealth,*  but  a  hard-working  man  of 
business,  Ellen's  opinions  must  be  about  the  same  as 
your  own,  Hugh.  I  have  been  told  so  often  during  the 
past  year  that  I  am  the  agent  of  organized  thievery  that 
I  can  surely  endure  to  hear  it  once  more,  even  from 
feminine  lips." 

"  You  would  find  it  quite  different,  though,"  said 
Mayfield.  "  I  talk  to  you  in  the  ordinary,  colloquial 
way.  Ellen  would  be  apt  to  say  unpalatable  things, 
when  she  found  how  strongly  you  oppose  her  views." 

Westland  laughed. 

*'  Perhaps  I  should  not  oppose  them,"  said  he.  "  I 
have  learned  a  few  things  since  I  dropped  to  this  planet, 
and  one  of  them  is  never  to  dispute  a  woman.  If  Ellen 
were  to  'accuse  me  of  such  things  it  were  better  my 
mother  had  not  borne  me,"  as  Hamlet  remarks,  I  would 
hear  her  meekly.  No,  Hugh,  have  no  fear  on  that 
score." 

They  turned  a  comer  and  walked  on,  further  out  of 
the  village  limits,  toward  the  country. 

"You  could  not  help  it,"  said  Hugh,  after  a  brief  in- 
terval. "  No,  you  could  not.  Ellen  would  »ay  what 
would  compel  you  to  reply." 

**  For  instance — " 

"Oh,  it  is  too  much  to  expect  me  to  tma^ne  a  con- 
versation between  two  tueh  people  as  Ellen  and  yoa 


14  8PEAKINO   OF   BLLBH. 

Both  are  well  equipped  for  an  argument,  but  were  you  te 
enter  into  one,  you  would  be  sure  to  come  off  second 
best.     You  had  better  not  try  it." 

Westland  had  eaten  the  apple-blossoms,  and  was  now 
biting  the  stick. 

"But  I  shall,  Hugh,"  he  said,  decidedly.  "  My  curi- 
osity is  aroused.  I  must  have  an  interview  with  the 
senator's  daughter — that  is,  if  she  will  accord  me  one.  I 
shall  ask  you  to  introduce  me,  but  I  shall  hope  to  ar* 
range  my  talk  with  her  when  there  will  be  no  witnesses 
to  my  discomfiture." 

The  "  mill-hand"  looked  rather  uneasy. 

*'  You  won't  take  a  frivolous  vein,  I  hope,"  he  said. 
*'  Ellen  is  quick  to  notice.  Don't  assume  an  air  of  patron- 
age.    You  would  be  sure  to  suffer  for  it." 

"  Have  no  fear,"  replied  Westland.  "  I  shall  act  as  if 
she  were  in  every  sense  my  equal." 

"  But  she  considers  herself  vastly  your  superior,"  was 
the  unexpected  rejoinder. 

Philip  Westland  took  the  apple-twig  from  his  mouth 
and  wiped  his  lips  with  a  white  silk  handkerchief. 

"Indeed  !"  he  ejaculated. 

"  I  might  as  well  prepare  you,"  continued  Mayfield, 
**  if  you  are  to  insist  on  talking  with  her.  Ellen  is  gen- 
tleness itself  in  her  dealings  with  what  she  calls  her 
'  own  people.'  When  she  meets  one  of  your  class — Agent 
Baker,  for  example — it  takes  very  little  to  bring  her  dis- 
dain to  the  surface.  I  have  seen  him  paying  her  off  on 
a  Saturday  night  when  her  pose  and  expression  would 
have  made  her  an  excellent  model  for  a  statue  of  Con 
tempt." 

Westland  returned  the  handkerchief  to  his  pocket,  re* 
marking,  laconically — 
-*   •But  sb«  took  the  money." 


THB    MARCHIOiraSS    OF   HITERrALL.  IS 

"Yes.  And  as  she  swept  the  pittance  into  her  purse 
one  could  read  in  her  countenance,  as  in  illumined 
print,  *  They  have  kept  back  the  lion's  share,  these 
thieves  I  and  deserve  the  execration  that  belongs  to  all 
their  ilk!'" 

Then  the  New  Yorker  said,  quietly  : 

"Agent  Baker  must  be  an  affable  man  to  endure  that 
sort  of  thing.  Not  at  all  the  heartless  fellow  he  has 
been  represented." 

"  Endure  it !"  cried  Mayfield.  "  What  else  can  he  do  ? 
Were  he  to  discharge  Ellen,  not  a  spindle  in  his  mills 
would  revolve  till  she  was  reinstated.  Agent  Baker  is 
clothed  with  great  powers  ;  he  can  do  many  arbitrary 
things  ;  but  he  knows  better  than  to  raise  a  personal 
issue  with  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  !" 

Westland  had  plucked  a  second  apple-brancli,  and 
engaged  in  another  attempt  to  masticate  the  blossoms 
upon  it. 

*'  Are  you  sure  you  are  not  overstating  the  cas<  ?"  he 
said. 

"  Perfectly  sure.  The  spinners  and  weavers  of  River- 
fall  have  suffered  cut-downs  before  now — sometimes 
after  a  fight,  and  sometimes  without  one.  They  have 
borne  increased  hardness  of  rule.  The  greed  of  Capital, 
of  which  Agent  Baker  is  the  exponent,  may  grind  them 
lower  yet,  for  all  I  know,  though  I  doubt  it.  But  put 
his  two  thousand  employes  face  to  face  with  the  simple 
question  of  standing  by  Ellen  and  not  one  of  them 
would  budge.  Ezra  Baker  is  a  bold  man,  but  he  will 
never  try  that." 

Then  the  New  Yorker,  without  changing  his  tone  or 
expression  in  the  slightest  degree,  said  : 

"  Hugh,  if  I  were  the  agent  of  the  Great  Central  Cor- 
ooiation,  and  Ellen  treated  me  in  that  manner,  I  would 


IC  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEH. 

discharge  her  on  the  spot.  I  should  consider  it  nec- 
essary." 

"And  the  result  would  be  what  I  have  predicted," 
said  Mayfield,  grimly, 

Westland  spat  out  the  apple-buds  he  had  been  chew- 
ing. 

"A  nice  state  of  affairs  you  open  to  me,  in  an  alleged 
free  country  !  A  man  compelled,  whether  he  will  or  no, 
to  employ  a  certain  person  in  his  mill  under  penalty  of 
having  his  entire  establishment  closed  !  Why,  there  is 
no  greater  tyranny  in  Russia !  Our  fathers  fought 
Great  Britain  for  less.  If  I  were  proprietor  of  the  Great 
Central  mills — I  won't  say  agent,  for  the  directors  might 
not  endorse  my  action — I  would  see  moss  cover  its  walls, 
its  water-wheels  go  to  decay  and  its  machinery  rust  be- 
yond repair,  before  I  would  let  any  man,  woman  or 
child  in  my  employ  dictate  to  me  how  to  manage  my 
own  business." 

Mayfield  preserved  a  courtesy  of  demeanor  equal  to 
that  of  his  companion.  They  had  often  had  talks  on 
the  labor  problem,  and  each  knew  quite  well  what  to 
expect  from  the  other. 

"  Your  statement  brings  up  a  hundred  things,"  said 
the  "  mill-hand,"  "  the  principal  one  being  whether  the 
running  of  a  set  of  mills  in  which  two  thousand  persons 
are  employed  is  the  '  own  business  '  of  one  man.  I  have 
an  idea  that  it  is  the  business  of  every  person  who  works 
there.  If  the  owner,  for  a  fancied  injury,  deprives  one 
of  them  of  the  privilege  of  earning  his  bread,  the  others 
do  well  to  resist,  for  the  general  welfare." 

Westland  bowed  assent. 

"  They  have  a  right  to  do  anything  they  can  accom- 
plish, and  I  have  a  similar  right,  if  they  are  my  employes 
la  the  case  you  cite  they  might  ieave  the  mills,  and  staf 


THll   UAJK7HIONE88   OF   KrVEKTALX.  17 

out  till  the  surface  of  Hades  became  congealed,  but  they 
never  could  force  me  to  employ  a  person  I  did  not  want. 
No,  even  if  it  took  my  last  dollar!" 
Mayfield  smiled. 

"  You  would  do  well  not  to  advance  such  doctrines  in 
your  coming  interview  with  Ellen — that  is,  if  you  still 
think  of  having  one." 

"  Why — is  she  dangerous  ?" 

"  In  argument— yes.  She  will  get  the  best  of  you 
unless  you  adopt  broader  ground  than  your  attitude 
suggests.  You  are  on  controversial  soil  that  is  only  the 
alphabet  to  her." 

"  And  the  burden  of  her  song  will  be  the  oppression 
of  the  honest  laborer  by  the  bloated  capitalist,"  said 
Westland.  "  Well,  I  am  ready  to  meet  her.  I  remember 
that  the  bloated  laborer  knocked  the  honest  capitalist 
out  of  a  year's  dividend,  not  so  long  ago,  in  this  very 
town,  and  I  know  of  more  than  one  family  that  was 
greatly  inconvenienced  by  the  loss  of  income  that 
ensued." 

As  the  friends  had  now  walked  a  good  mile  beyond 
the  village  limits,  they  began  slowly  to  retrace  their 
steps. 

"  What  was  the  source  of  the  income  of  which  you 
speak  ?"  asked  Hugh,  presently. 

"  Mill  stocks,  left  by  husbands  and  fathers." 
"Where    did   the   husbands    and   fathers  get   those 
stocks  ?'• 
"  Where  ?    Bought  them,  of  counc" 
"  Of  whom  r 

"  People  who  had  them  to  sell." 

"  But  where  did  the  original  owner*  get  them  ?"  per* 
sifted  Hugh  doggedly. 


1$  SPEAKING   OF   EIOiKN. 

Westland  looked  at  his  companion.  He  thought  he 
'vas  trying  to  perpetrate  a  joke  at  his  expense. 

"  I  only  want  to  prepare  you  a  little  for  what  you  may 
expect  at  Ellen's,"  said  Hugh.  "  She  will  take  you  back 
to  first  principles.  You  see,  if  I  find  you  in  possession 
of  a  piece  of  real  estate  that  my  great-grand-uncle  willed 
to  my  great-grandfather,  and  of  which  he  was  never 
legally  dispossessed,  I  can  oust  you  and  get  possession, 
no  matter  how  many  false  deeds  lie  between  your  claim 
and  mine.  I  therefore  wish  to  know  how  honestly  these 
stocks  became  those  of  your  unfortunate  widows  and 
orphans.  If  the  principle  is  a  just  one,  why  not  apply 
it  to  both  cases  ?     Ellen  would  probably  ask  you  that." 

Nothing  in  this  statement  seemed  in  the  least  to  dis- 
turb the  gentleman  to  whom  it  was  addressed.  He 
strolled  along,  with  his  hands  clasped  behind  him,  his 
straw  hat  tipped  back  a  little  from  his  intellectual  fore- 
head, evidently  at  peace  with  all  the  world. 

"  I  should  say  to  Ellen — as  I  say  to  you,"  he  replied, 
*'  that  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth  and  of  the  State  of 
New  York  are  a  sufficient  answer  to  the  question.  The 
ownership  of  those  shares  is  as  well  settled  as  that  of 
the  petticoats  and  bonnets  she  professes  to  call  hers." 

"  But  the  law  cannot  fix  their  value"  interrupted  May- 
field,  "  which  is  the  important  point,  after  all." 

A  new  idea  had  evidently  been  conveyed  to  the  capi- 
talist. 

"  Their  value,"  Hugh  proceeded,  "  depends  on  their 
ability  to  earn — I  use  the  cant  phrase  of  business — it  is 
not  the  correct  one — dividends.  A  stock  that  ceases  to 
De  productive — another  erroneous  expression,  but  the 
usual  one — ceases  to  have  real  value.  The  employes  of 
the  Great  Central  Corporation  can  destroy  your  divi- 
dends any  year  they  please.     Does  not  this  teach  you 


THE    MAKCHIONE8S    OF    RIVKKFALL,  i9 

that  the  running  of  a  mill  is  not  altogether  the  busir»c:s 
of  its  alleged  owners,  but  of  the  people  who  do  its  work, 
as  well?" 

As  the  New  Yorker  listened,  a  quiet  smile  came  over 
his  face. 

"  I  have  left  some  things  in  my  home,"  he  said.  "  Dur- 
ng  my  absence  some  one  may  have  entered  and  taken 
the  most  valuable  of  them.  This  should  teach  me  the 
folly  of  locks  and  bolts.     Yes,  I  understand." 

•'  If  you  had  taken  the  things  in  the  first  place  from 
the  person  who  has  entered  your  house,  the  case  would 
seem  nearer  a  parallel.  But  then,  according  to  law,  he 
would  not  need  to  break  in.  He  could  get  a  sheriff  and 
a  writ  of  replevin.  " 

Westland  laughed  aloud. 

"  Thai's  ingenious,  upon  my  word  !"  he  exclaimed. 
"But  really,  Hugh,  you  forget  one  important  thing.  The 
emp>loyes  of  a  mill  agree  to  work  for  a  stipulated  wage, 
and  accept  it  on  pay-day  as  compensation  for  the  services 
they  have  rendered.  What,  in  law  or  reason,  gives  them 
a  right  in  that  other  great  factor  in  the  production  of 
goods,  called  Capital  ?  If  they  don't  want  the  work  at 
the  rates  offered,  why  do  they  apply  for  places  ?  There 
are  always  plent  y  who  do.  I  tell  you  the  American  work- 
ingn>an  would  be  better  off  to-day  if  all  the  Agitators  and 
Theorists  were  shipped  to  Africa." 

"  Tell  that  to  Ellen,"  laughed  Mayfield,  "  and  she  will 
answer  you.  I  have  gone  much  further  with  this  discus- 
sion than  I  purposed  when  we  began,  and  I  fear  I  shall 
cover  some  of  her  ground.  I  am  glad,  on  the  whole,  that 
you  are  going  to  talk  with  her,  for  with  your  imperturb- 
able good  nature  no  harm  can  result.  When  would  you 
like  to  meet  her  ?" 

Westland  thought  a  moment. 


30  SPEAKING   OF    ELLlOr. 

"  The  sooner  the  better.  Why  not  to-day  ?  As  it  U 
Sunday  she  will  have  more  time  than  during  the  week, 
and  so  shall  I.  Besides,  I  am  liable  to  rfeturn  to  the  city 
to-morrow.  She  won't  object  to  talking  on  Sunday,  I 
suppose  ?" 

"  Why  should  she?"  was  the  brief  response. 

The  slow  walk  which  the  friends  assumed  brought 
them,  fifteen  minutes  later,  within  the  precincts  of  the 
manufacturing  village,  and  shortly  afterward  they  as- 
cended the  rough  stairway  of  one  of  the  corporation 
houses.  Anyone  who  has  ever  visited  a  New  England 
mill  town  need  not  be  told  that  in  most  of  them  the  em- 
ployes' houses  are  square  edifices  of  a  uniformly  unat- 
tractive appearance,  surrounded  by  neither  fence  nor 
lawn.  Sometimes  they  are  of  unfaced  brick,  sometimes 
of  wood  that  is  painted,  if  at  all,  in  colors  selected  with 
an  eye  to  wear  rather  than  beauty.  Places  to  cook  and 
sleep  in  they  undoubtedly  are,  but  who  could  apply  to 
them  that  bright  English  word  "  home  ?"  The  rents  re- 
ceived from  these  tenements  are  often  sufficient  to  pay 
their  entire  cost  every  four  or  five  years.  In  such  a 
building,  on  the  third  floor,  were  the  two  rooms  occupied 
by  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall,  and  Philip  Westland 
owned  to  an  uneasy  feeling  as  he  stood  with  Mayfield 
at  her  door,  and  heard  the  resounding  knock  on  the  pine 
panel. 

Westland  had  never  seen  the  Marchioness,  though  his 
visits  to  Riverfall  had  been  quite  frequent  during  the 
past  year,  and  his  preconceived  notions  hardly  prepared 
him  for  the  reality,  when  the  "  mill-girl  "  opened  the  door 
and  Mayfield  presented  him  in  the  usual  manner.  He 
saw  a  beautiful  young  woman,  a  little  above  the  average 
height ;  with  dark  and  most  expressive  eyes,  that  looked 
anything  but  dangerous ;  heavy  black  hair,  evidently  of 


THB   MARCHIONESi   OF   BIVBRFUX.  21 

unusual  length,  becomingly  arranged  upon  a  finely, 
shaped  head  ;  a  complexion  fresh  as  the  apple-blossoms 
he  had  picked  that  morning  ;  slender  hands  (this  he 
noticed  instantly)  that  miglit  have  been  elegant  but  for 
the  effect  of  mill  work  ;  a  plain  cambric  dress,  with  linen 
collar  and  cuffs  and,  more  noticeable  than  all  the  rest,  a 
stateliness  of  carriage  that  seemed  to  the  city  gentle- 
man strangely  out  of  keeping  with  her  station  and  sur- 
roundings. 

"  Ellen,"  said  Hugh,  after  exchanging  greetings,  "  1 
have  brought  my  friend  Westland  to  you  at  his  own  re- 
quest. He  is  a  thorough  representative  of  our  enemies 
the  Capitalists,  and  I  want  you  to  convert  him." 

A  cloud  passed  over  Ellen's  face  as  she  listened.  She 
motioned  her  callers  to  seats,  but  herself  remained 
standing. 

"  I  am  hardly  in  a  condition  to  talk  to  any  one  to-day, 
Hugh,"  she  said,  and  Westland  noticed  that  her  voice 
was  quite  as  charming  as  her  countenance.  "  Mr.  Baker 
has  hired  three  more  children  for  the  mill — little  ones 
who  ought  to  be  kept  at  school.  He  seems  to  care  noth- 
ing for  the  law,  and  I  do  not  know  why  he  should,  as 
no  official  ever  interferes  with  him.  The  pi^rents  of 
these  children  are  French  Canadians  and  they  want 
their  wages.  I  saw  them  yesterday.  The  youngest  is 
nine  and  the  eldest  thirteen.  Poor  little  things  !  Too 
young  to  begin  a  life  like  ours — is  it  not,  sir — a  life  they, 
will  probably  renounce  only  for  the  grave !" 

She  had  appealed  to  Westland,  and  he  found  himself 
drawn  into  argument  sooner  than  he  anticipated. 

"  If  the  parents  of  these  children  really  need  their 
wages  for  their  support — as  I  understand  from  your 
statement — what  remedy  would  you  suggest  ?"  he  asked 
'*  Hunger  must  be  satisfied." 


^3  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

The  dark  eyes  dilated,  and  the  handsome  mouth  grew 
firmer, 

"Do  you  contend,  sir,  that  it  .is  an  equitable  rate  of 
wages  which  refuses  a  parent  enough  to  provide  his  chil- 
dren with  the  bare  necessaries  of  life  without  putting 
them  into  the  mill  before  they  reach  their  teens  ?" 

Westland  was  not  at  all  abashed. 

"  How  many  children  has  this  Canadian?"  he  asked. 
*'  Probably  a  dozen.  Allowing  that  to  be  true,  would  the 
mill-agent  be  justified  on  that  account  in  paying  him 
proportionate  wages  as  compared  with  other  men  who 
have  three  children  or  none  ?" 

Ellen  listened  with  an  expression  in  which  pity 
seemed  uppermost.  He  saw  now  better  than  before 
why  the  people  had  given  her  a  title.  Court  robes  or 
jewels  were  not  required  to  enforce  her  claim.  Nobility 
shone  in  every  look  and  action. 

"But  where  is  our  great  mother,  the  State!"  she  cried, 
throwing  back  her  head  with  a  superb  motion.  "  The 
State,  which  claims  our  allegiance,  which  seizes  our  sub- 
stance for  its  revenues,  which  drafts  our  brothers  into  its 
armies,  which  punishes  our  treason  even  with  death  ! 
Every  child  that  is  born  adds  to  its  strength  and  glory  ! 
Shall  the  State,  then,  demand  our  all  and  give  us  back 
nothing  ?  Agent  Baker  is  but  a  man — a  man  limited  in 
iiis  powers  by  the  greedy  capitalists  who  employ  him. 
But  the  State  is  a  god  !  It  has  the  power  to  protect  its 
children.  It  cannot  afford  to  let  them  be  stunted  in 
their  infantile  years.  We  who  make  the  State,  how  long 
skall  we  appeal  to  it  in  vain  ?" 

Westland  was  much  impressed  by  the  beauty  and  elo- 
quence of  the  speaker,  but  the  words  themselves 
touched  no  responsive  chord.  When  she  had  finished 
he  said  : 


THE   MARCHIONESS    OF   EIVEEFALL.  iS 

•*  I  shall  be  glad  to  discuss  this  entire  question  with 
you  whenever  you  can  spare  sufficient  time.  I  should 
like  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  subject.  Neither  of  us 
might  be  able  to  convince  the  other,  but  both  could 
hardly  fail  to  gain  new  ideas." 

•*  Mr.  Westland  is  disposed    to  do  right,"  put  in  Hugh, 
"  but  he  can   only  be  persuaded    through  his  reason.     I 
have  talked  to  him  considerably,  I  admit,  without  much 
effect,  but  I  think    you   could   succeed   better.     In  fact, 
when  you  have   done  with   him,  I  shall  quite  expect  to 
see  him  enroll  himself  in  our  ranks." 
Westland  smiled    at  the  statement. 
"  While  I  wish   very  much  to  talk  with  you,"  he  said 
to  Ellen,  "I  do    not  encourage  any  such  hope  as  that 
suggested   by  my  friend.      I  am  so  sure  of  my  premises 
that  conversion  seems  impossible.     In  fact,  I  am  not  at 
all  certain  I  shall  not  make  a  proselyte  of  you." 
At  this  Ellen  smiled  also. 

"  I  will  see  you  this  evening,"  she  said.  "  My  sick 
patients  will  take  most  of  my  time  until  then.  There 
are  always  several  persons  who  have  broken  down  under 
the  mill  work,  whom  I  take  to  some  extent  under  my 
charge.  They  would  be  much  disappointed  were  I  to 
omit  my  Sunday  calls.  If  you  will  come  to-night,  say 
at  seven,  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you." 

Westland  agreed  to  the  hour  and,  a  few  minutes  later, 
took  his  leave  with   Hugh. 

"  What  a  beauty  !"  he  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  they  were 
out  of  hearing.  "  She  would  adorn  a  palace  !  I  never 
saw  such  a  queenly  air  !  But  I  suppose  she  would  not 
give  up  her  position  as  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  for  a 
Fifth  avenue  mansion.  A  strange  eccentricity  f  Sh* 
seems  so  self-sufficient,  too." 
He  paused  and  then  added  : 


SPEAKING  OF  ELLEK. 


"  She  will  probably  work  on  in  these  mills  tili  she 
grows  old  and  faded,  with  never  a  husband  or  child  to 
adore  her.     Don't  you  think  so  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  ;  you  might  ask  her,'*  was  Hugh's 
rather  peculiar  reply. 


CHAPTER   n, 

A   MAN   OF    BUSINESS. 

The  day  after  the  conversation  just  related  Philip 
Westland  rang  the  bell  of  a  residence  on  Lexington 
avenue,  New  York  city,  as  the  sun  was  setting.  The 
servant  who  responded  admitted  him  without  ceremony, 
and  allowed  him  to  proceed  to  a  room  on  the  second 
floor,  where  he  knocked  gently  at  the  door.  The  rustle 
q(  a  woman's  dress  was  instantly  heard,  and  a  moment 
later  he  had  entered  and  stood  in  the  presence  of  a  fine- 
looking  lady,  perhaps  twenty-one  years  of  age,  who  was 
attired  in  deep  black. 

"  I  heard  you  on  the  steps,  even  before  you  rang,"  she 
said,  joy  beaming  from  her  pale  face.  "  How  glad  I  am 
that  you  are  here  !" 

He  looked  a  little  annoyed,  but  gave  the  lady  a  slight 
embrace  and  touched  his  lips  lightly  to  hers.  She  could 
not  see  the  expression  of  his  features,  for  she  was  blind  ; 
but  she  felt,  with  the  instinctive  knowledge  of  those 
thus  deprived,  that  he  was  not  as  happy  as  usual. 

"Philip,"  she  said,  gently,  "what  is  the  matter? 
Come  and  sit  by  me  on  the  sofa  and  tell  me  all  yout 
troubles." 


Jl  ILAJ^-   OF   BUSIKESg.  25 

**  I  have  none,"  he  answered,  forcing  a  laugh,  as  he 
accompanied  her  to  the  place  designated.  "  Have  I  not 
told  you  often  that  trouble  and  I  were  never  made 
acquainted  with  each  other?  I  wish  you  could  say  the 
same,  Edna." 

"When  you  are  with  me  it  a/nost  seems  as  if  I  could," 
was  her  earnest  reply.  "  It  is  only  when  you  are  .'tway 
that  the  time  drags  slowly.  Do  you  realize  that  you 
have  been  out  of  town  four  days  ?" 

Westland  took  up  the  hand  she  placed  in  his  and  pat- 
ted it  absently. 

"  Four  days  I"  he  repeated.  *  I  did  not  think  it  was 
so  long."  Then  he  added,  more,  apparently,  to  divert 
her  attention  than  for  any  other  reason,  "  play  me 
something." 

She  sprang  up  brightly  and  took  a  violin  from  an 
adjacent  table.  There  was  no  sign  in  her  movements  of 
her  great  misfortune.  She  placed  her  hand  as  confi- 
dently upon  the  instrument  as  if  her  sight  was  perfect. 
The  blind  learn  to  remember  and  to  judge  distances 
more  accurately  than  those  who  see.  The  manner  in 
which  she  held  the  violin  and  the  way  she  drew  the  bow 
across  it  showed  her  love  for  the  task.  Music  floated 
out  upon  the  atmosphere  of  the  room,  filling  it  with  low, 
sweet  sounds.  Edna  Melbourg  was  a  thorough  mistress 
of  an  accomplishment  too  rare  among  American  ladies, 
and  Westland  found  himself  under  the  spell  of  the  har- 
mony before  he  was  aware  of  it.  He  lay  back  and 
dreamily  watched  the  striking  face  that  bent  lovingly 
over  the  violin,  and  the  long,  slender  fingers,  plentifully 
adorned  with  plain  and  mourning  rings,  that  plied  the 
bow.  The  loose  sleeves  which  the  lady  wore  revealed 
Bome  space  of  forearm,  where  the  delicate  white  flesh 


26  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

with  its  environment  of  lace  appealed  to  his  sense  oi 
refinement. 

"Do  you  know  what  that  is  ?"  she  asked,  pausing  in 
her  playing. 

"  No,"  he  said,  with  a  slight  start.  "  You  had  soothed 
me  into  such  a  deep  reverie,  I  did  not  notice  when  you 
ceased  to  play." 

"  It  is  called  *  Love  in  Italy.'  Philip,  when  are  you 
going  to  take  me  there  ?" 

He  drew  his  hand  across  his  forehead  and  said, 
absently — 

"Oh,  sometime." 

She  came  and  sat  by  his  side  again,  upon  the  sofa. 

"  It  will  be  full  of  wonderful  things — that  sometime 
of  yours.  I  have  always  wanted  to  be  in  Italy.  I  can 
scent  in  imagination  its  balmy  air.  I  can  hear  the  glad 
notes  of  its  song-birds.  I  can  imagine  the  gondolas, 
gliding  through  the  water  with  the  easy  motion  of 
swans.  I  can  feel  the  delicious  breezes  of  the  Adriatic 
and  the  Mediterranean  fanning  my  cheek.  All  these  I 
have  dreamed  of,  and  sometime — yes,  sometime — you 
and  I  will  experience  them  together  !" 

It  was  the  last  word  in  her  rhapsody  that  made  West- 
land  shrug  his  shoulders,  though  the  movement  was  so 
slight  as  to  be  imperceptible  even  to  Miss  Melbourg's 
quick  senses. 

"  You  must  not  forget,"  he  said,  "  that  were  we  to- 
gether in  Italy  we  should  be  farther  apart  than  we  are 
here  in  New  York.  I  can  visit  you  in  this  house,  and  the 
plea  of  business  answers  for  everything.  This  is  your 
home.  In  Italy  we  should  be  Philip  Westland  and  Edna 
Melbourg,  traveling  acquaintances.  I  am  not  enough 
older  than  you  to  pass  as  your  guardian  and  it  would 
take  little  to  attract  attention.    The  female  Cerberus  you 


A   MAN   OF    BUSINESS.  37 

(vould  be  obliged  to  take  along  would  deprive  us  of  sol- 
itude, even  in  the  handy  compartment  railway  carriages 
She  would  not  recognize  your  ingenious  claim  that  you 
are  still  that  little  child  who  used  to  climb  on  my  knee 
and  ask  for  bon-bons,  though  you  and  I  have  never 
noticed  the  difference.  Why,  I  could  not  sit  by  you  on  a 
sofa  like  this,  anywhere  in  the  length  and  breadth  of 
Humbert's  dominions." 

She  bore  a  triumphant  look  as  he  finished — the  look 
of  one  who  feels  herself  competent  to  surmount  every 
difficulty. 

"Leave  that  tome,"  she  smiled.  "There  are  apart- 
ments that  can  be  hired  in  every  city  of  Italy  as  well  as 
here.  There  are  Italian  waiting-maids  who  speak  no 
English,  and  understand  no  more  than  one  wishes  them 
to.  There  are  secluded  villas  in  the  interior,  among  the 
vineyards,  where  we  can  go.  Ital}'  has  its  mountains, 
but  none  so  high  that  resolution  cannot  surmount  them. 
No,  Philip,  I  have  not  been  listening  to  the  reading  of 
everv  book  on  Italy  that  I  could  buy  during  the  past 
two  years  for  nothing.  In  that  case  yonder  you  will  find 
all  the  Italian  lore  you  could  need  in  a  lifetime." 

Much  of  the  weary  look  disappearca  from  his  face 
before  the  radiance  of  her  expression. 

"But,"  he  said,  "I  am  well  known  and  should  almost 
certainly  meet  Americans  wherever  I  went.  It  would 
not  be  agreeable  to  be  detected  in  surreptitious  prac- 
ticed, which  would  surely  be  misconstrued.  You  would 
learn  before  you  had  been  abroad  a  month  that  the 
world  is  a  very  little  place,  and  that — compared  with  it 
— New  York  is  a  very  large  one." 

She  leaned  toward  him  and  placed  one  arm  about  his 
necK. 

**l  wish  I  could  see  vour  face  and  tell  how  mucb  in 


88  SPEAKING   OF    ELLEN 

earnest  yoti  are,"  she  said.  "Supposing  some  meddles 
did  discover  us,  would  you  care  very,  very  much  ?" 

He  drew  back  and  gazed  into  her  eager  face. 

"Would  /care?  Would  you  care,  you  mean  !  I  think 
you  sometimes  forget  the  limitations  of  your  sex,  Edna. 
How  would  you  like  to  be  the  subject  of  gossip  at  tables 
d'hotes  ?  How  would  you  like  to  hear  that  people 
said — " 

She  put  a  finger  upon  his  lips. 

"  If  I  was  innocent — " 

"  How  would  the  world  know  that  ?" 

"My  misfortune  should  stand  my  sponsor,"  she  an- 
swered, soberly. 

With  a  gentle  motion  he  took  her  arm  from  his  neck. 

"  People  are  judged  by  appearances,"  he  said.  "  Not 
a  man  or  woman  who  knows  us  could  enter  this  room  at 
this  moment  and  hold  us  blameless.  I  am  an  avowed 
celibate  and  your  father's  will  stands  in  the  way  of  your 
marrying.  What  follows  ?  Platonic  affection  ?  These 
are  not  the  symptoms.  Clasping  arms  about  one,  hold- 
ing his  hands,  kissing  his  lips — these  are  not  platonic 
tokens.  Imagine  a  journey  to  Italy  added,  with  an 
element  of  secrecy  thrown  in,  and  it  would  convince 
even  the  Grand  Jury." 

If  he  had  intended  to  bring  a  cloud  into  the  blind 
lady's  face  he  had  succeeded  well.  Her  expression  was 
touching  in  its  sadness. 

"  It  is  true,"  she  said,  "  that  my  father's  will  provides 
that  I  shall  lose  his  property  if  I  marry.  He  thought  he 
did  wisely  in  making  that  provision,  as  he  feared  I  might 
become  the  victim  of  some  adventurer,  who  only  sought 
my  money.  His  wish  would  be  sufficient  to  influence 
me,  even  had  he  made  it  known  less  emphatically. 
But — "  and  here  a  deep  blush  suffused  the  pale  cheek*— -^ 


A.  MAir  OF  BUSINESS.  29 

•he  has  not  forbidden  me  to  love.  If  he  had,  I  might 
find  compliance  harder." 

Well  was  it  for  Edna  Melbourg's  peace  of  mind  that 
she  could  not  see  Philip  Westland's  face  as  she  uttered 
these  words.  It  contained  a  mixture  of  sympathy,  re- 
pugnance and  regret  that  was  not  pleasant  to  contem- 
plate.    He  took  out  his  watch  and  glanced  at  the  hour, 

"Now,  don't  do  that,"  said  Edna,  pleadingly.  "  You 
have  been  away  four  long  days,  and  this  evening  belongs 
wholly  to  me.  Talk  to  me,  Philip.  I  never  knew  you 
so  taciturn.  What  did  you  find  at  Riverfall  to  put  you 
into  this  mood  ?" 

He  looked  at  her  a  moment. 

"  There  is  a  young  woman  there—" 

"  You  love  her  !"  she  cried,  piteously. 

"  No,"  he  replied,  without  changing  his  tone.  **  I 
should  be  more  inclined  to  hate  her,  if  I  ever  hated  any- 
body. She  puzzles  me.  I  had  a  long  talk  with  her  last 
night — in  her  room." 

"  In  her  room  !"   cried  Edna,  again.     "  Oh,  Philip  !" 

'*  Yes,  in  her  room  !"  repeated  Westland,  in  a  louder 
voice.  "  Where  else  ?  Good  God,  Edna  !  You  are  not 
jealous,  as  well  as  you  know  me  !  There  is  no  situation 
conceivable  in  which  you  should  fear  for  me.  Don't 
interject  such  insinuations,  I  beg  !" 

The  slender  hands  were  clasped  for  a  moment  over 
the  lady's  sightless  eyes. 

*'  Sometimes  I  think  I  am  growing  insane..  I  cannot 
bear  to  think  you  ever  looked  at  a  woman  !  Well,  go  on." 

He  composed  himself  by  a  brief  pause  and  then  pro- 
ceeded : 

"  The  Marchioness — ** 

"A  titled  lady—" 

•*It  is  only  a  local  appellation,  on  account  of  her  high 


30  SPEAKING    OF   ELLKtf. 

and  mighty  bearing.  Ellen  is  her  real  name.  She  talked 
to  me  as  no  one  ever  talked  before.  She  is  a  child  of 
the  people — the  lower  strata — on  the  maternal  side,  but 
her  father  was  a  United  States  senator.  Her  mother 
was  never  married." 

Miss  Melbourg  drew  a  little  away,  as  if  from  fear  of 
contamination  from  one  so  recently  in  such  company. 

"A  strange  companion  for  Philip  Westland,"  she  said, 
coldly. 

"Admitted,"  was  his  equally  cool  reply.  "  But,  as  I 
said,  I  went  to  her  room  and  talked  with  her.  Yes,  ^rom 
seven  o'clock  till  after  midnight — and  I  am  going 
again." 

Miss  Melbourg's  forehead  bore  something  very  lik^t  a 
frown  at  this  announcement. 

''  Do  you  say  this  to  annoy  me  ?"  she  demanded. 

*'  I  state  it  because  it  is  the  truth.  We  played  a  game 
for  five  hours — a  game  in  which  I  have  always  believec^ 
myself  somewhat  proficient — and  she  came  out  ahead. 
I  am  not  the  man  to  give  up  easily,  and  I  am  going  back 
to  Riverfall  and  try  again." 

The  blind  lady  put  both  her  hands  on  his  arms  and 
held  him  as  if  she  would  read  his  face  with  her  sightless 
orbs. 

"  Philip,  what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  She  told  me  I  was  the  agent  of  a  band  of  rob- 
bers— " 

"  Told  you  ! — " 

"  Yes,  and  nearly  made  me  believe  it.  She  accused 
me  of  being  accessory  to  more  than  one  murder — " 

"  Oh,  Philip  !" 

"  And  I  could  almost  see  the  blood-stains  on  my  gar- 
ments. She  told  me  I  stole  from  the  poor  and  gave  to 
the  rich,  retaining  my  commission  out  of  the  dishonest 


A    MAN    OF   BUSINESS.  SI 

transaction  And,  as  I  live,  Edna,  I  seemed  as  she  spoke 
to  hear  the  rattle  of  the  base  coin  in  my  pockets  !" 

Miss  Melbourg  looked  much  distressed. 

"  She  is  a  mesmerist,  Philip.  Promise  me  not  to  go 
there  again." 

"  I  must  go,"  he  said,  thoughtfully.  "  She  is  no  mes- 
merist. She  uses  no  power  but  that  of  argument.  I 
shall  study  the  question  well  before  I  return,  for  I  do 
not  believe  she  is  right.  She  cannot  be.  There  must  be 
a  fallacy  somewhere  in  her  theories,  and  I  shall  discover 
it." 

"  You  talk  in  riddles,"  said  Edna. 

"Oh,  it  is  the  labor  question,  that  I  have  heard  argued 
from  my  infancy.  But  Ellen  goes  deeper  into  it  than 
any  person  I  ever  heard  or  read.  She  succeeded  in 
making  me  appear  contemptible,  though  I  refused  to 
admit  a  single  one  of  her  claims." 

Feminine  instinct  dictated  the  next  question  : 

"  What  is  she  like  ?     Describe  her." 

Westland  attempted  to  comply,  but  like  most  men 
could  give  little  beside  generalities.  Ellen  was  grand, 
magnificent,  queenly.  He  could  not  tell  the  color  of  her 
hair  or  eyes,  nor  guess  at  her  height  or  weight. 

"  She  was  dressed  in  the  commonest  clothing,"  he  said. 
•*  Her  gown  was  one  of  those  prints  that  sell  at  ten  cents 
a  yard,  and  this  was  on  Sunday,  you  must  remember. 
Her  room  was  very  bare  of  furniture,  but  there  were 
birds,  and  many  flowers,  and  a  few  books  and  pictures. 
Fifteen  or  twenty  dollars  would  buy  everything  there,  f 
should  say." 

"  Her  voice — masculine  and  harsh,  I  suppose  7" 

"On  the  contrary,  it  is  very  winning  and  gentle." 

**  Philip,"  said  the  blind  girl,  "  you  are  in  love  with 
this  *  Marchioness.'     You  will  deny  it,  and  you  are  honest 


33  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEW. 

in  your  denial,  but  I  know  it  is  true.  I  know  the  time 
must  come  when  I  shall  lose  you,  but  I  should  hope  to 
resign  you  to  other  arms  than  those  of  an  illegitimate 
mill-girl  !" 

The  lady  had  no  sooner  uttered  these  words  than  she 
regretted  them.  She  feared  their  effect  would  be  to 
arouse  antagonism  in  the  mind  she  was  trying  to  per- 
suade. Abuse  is  seldom  a  potential  weapon.  But  West- 
land  only  said  : 

"  Legitimacy  is  a  relative  term,  Edna." 

"But,  are  you  sure  you  are  not  in  love  with  her  ? 
Search  your  heart  before  you  answer." 

He  waited  a  reasonable  time,  during  which  the  search- 
ing process  was  supposed  to  be  progressing. 

"  After  a  careful  survey  of  my  most  vital  organ,"  he 
said,  "I  find  there  no  love  for  Ellen — nor  for  any  other 
living  woman."  Then,  seeing  that  he  had  hurt  her,  he 
added,  "  There  are  women  whom  I  esteem  highly,  there 
is  at  least  one  toward  whom  I  entertain  sentiments  of 
affection  ;  but  I  never  was,  never  can  be,  in  love.  I  have 
told  you  that  so  often,  I  should  think  you  could  never 
doubt  it." 

A  passive  expression  settled  upon  the  lady's  face  and 
she  made  no  reply. 

Soon  he  continued  : 

"  I  am  a  man  of  business.  I  have  no  time  for  love. 
Rents  must  be  collected,  estates  settled,  dividends  looked 
after  There  is  another  big  strike  brewing  at  Riverfall. 
If  it  lasts  long  it  will  entail  a  heavy  loss  to  some  of  my 
clients — yourself  among  the  number.  Agent  Baker  is 
not  the  man  to  deal  with  those  spinners  and  weavers, 
and  besides,  he  wishes  to  resign.  Some  of  the  directors 
have  asked  me  to  allow  myself  to  be  elected  in  his  place. 
If  I  accept,  there  will  be   something   more  important 


A   MAN    OF    BUSINESS.  SS 

than    love  affairs   to   claim    my   attention   for  the  next 
vear," 
The  sad   look  deepened  on  the  face  of  the  blind  lady 

"That  would  effectually  dispose  of  our  Italian  jour- 
ney." 

He  knit  his  brows  at  the  unexpected  recurrence  to 
that  subject. 

■'  Would  you  be  willing,"  he  asked,  "  to  lose  your  in- 
irestments  in  Riverfall  in  order  to  get  a  few  months  in 
Italy  ?" 

*'  With  you — yes.  I  have  enough  other  income,  and  1 
have  wanted  to  go  so  long  !  My  blindness  makes  me 
only  a  child,  Philip,  and  I  am   easily  disappointed." 

He  knew  it  full  well,  but  he  said  she  could  enjoy  much 
if  she  went  alone. 

*  A  good  female  courier  would  answer  every  pur- 
pose— " 

"  No  !"  she  exclaimed.  *'  I  will  not  go  without  you  ! 
How  could  I  pass  months  beyond  the  sound  of  yout 
voice,  beyond  the  touch  of  your  hand  1  If  we  cannot  go 
together  we  will  remain  here." 

She  threw  herself  into  his  arms,  which  opened  to  re- 
ceive her.  Though  far  from  feeling  sentiments  similar 
to  those  which  animated  his  companion,  Westland  was 
touched  by  her  tenderness.  The  scene  was  one  which 
they  rehearsed  frequently.  As  she  lay  with  her  face 
against  his,  he  could  feel  the  quick  pulsations  of  her 
heart  against  his  breast.  His  sympathies  were  enlisted, 
but  no  warmer  sentiment  was  developed.  It  was  his 
boast  that  no  woman  had  ev>sr  affected  him,  and  he  be- 
lieved none  ever  could.     She  drew  his  face  closer, 

"  Kiss  me,  Philip  !" 

He  permitted  her  to  bring  his  lips  into  contact  with 
hers,  which  met  them  half  way.  The  traveler  across 
<he  great  African   desert  does  not  quench  his  thirst  at 


g4  8PKAXIXG   OF    ELLEN. 

the  first  oasian  spring  with  greater  avidity  than  Edna 
quenched  her  thirst  for  iove  in  Philip's  breath.  He 
marked  the  movement  jf  her  heart,  beating  faster  and 
faster ;  the  spasmodic  twitches  of  he  closed  eyelids,  the 
coming  and  going  of  the  little  patches  of  color  in  her 
face.  The  experience  interested  him  as  a  physical 
study,  but  it  did  nothing  more.  K^  would  have  liked  to 
time  his  own  arteries,  and  would  have  been  willing  to 
wager  a  goodly  sum  that  they  made  not  one  pulsation 
more  or  less  than  usual.  When  upward  of  a  minute 
had  elapsed,  he  disengaged  his  lips  to  say: 

"  Isn't  that  enough,  Edna  ?  It  seems  to  me  you  have 
exceeded  your  ordinary  allowance." 

Her  color  was  heightened  by  his  observation,  but  het 
only  reply  was  to  drink  deeper  draughts  than  before. 

"  How  long  would  you  make  your  kisses  last,  I  won- 
der ?"  he  asked,  when  the  lovely  burden  he  held  lay  back 
from  sheer  exhaustion.  "  How  long  would  you  con- 
tinue them,  if  you  had  you«-  full  liberty  ?" 

"Till  morning!"  she  cried.  "And  then  till  noon  1 
And  then  till  night  again  .'  And  then  till  another  morn- 
ing !" 

Her  rhapsodaical  mood  made  him  laugh  lightly. 
"You  greedy  child  !"  he  exclaimed.    "There  is  but  one 
way  to  content  you — you  should  be  married.     A  honey- 
moon with  a  man   as    warm-hearted   as  yourself  would 
probably  kill  you,  but  you  would  die  happy." 

She  answered  him  with  another  kiss,  less  passionate 
and  more  thoughtful  than  those  which  preceded  it. 

"You  know  I  cannot  marry  without  forfeiting  my 
property,"  she  said,  "  and  besides  I  love  no  one  but  you 
How  could  I  marry  anyone  else  ?" 

He  smiled  at  the  avowal  to  which  he  was  so  wel! 
i  customed. 


▲  MAN  OP  BUSINESS.  89 

**  Some  French  poet  has  said  that  the  flagon  is  imma- 
terial so  long  as  the  wine  is  good.  In  a  week  after 
marriage  vou  would  find  your  love  transferred  as  clearly 
as  though  you  used  the  decalcomanie  process.  Now  I 
am  going  to  make  a  suggestion.  I  know  where  you  can 
get  a  husband,  young,  handsome,  and  fairly  bubbling 
over  with  affection — and  still  not  lose  a  penny  of  your 
fortune." 

This  statement  was  sufficiently  remarkable  to  cause 
the  blind  lady  to  raise  herself  to  a  sitting  posture  and 
pass  her  hand  over  Philip  Westland's  face.  It  was  her 
way  of  ascertaining  how  much  he  was  in  earnest.  Sat- 
isfied after  this  inspection  that  he  meant  what  he  said, 
she  relapsed  into  deep  meditation,  but  could  not  solve 
the  riddle. 

*'  Philip,"  she  said,  looking  up,  *'  svhom  do  you  mean  ?" 

"Ralph." 

♦'Bah!     He  is  only  a  boy  !" 

*'  He  is  man  enough  for  you,'*  laughed  Westland.  "  and 
certainly  a  year  older.  Ralph  is  now  twenty-two.  Youi 
father's  will  provides  that  your  property  shall  go  to  him 
if  you  marry.  If  he  had  determined  that  you  two 
should  wed  he  could  not  have  worded  the  instrtn-.ent 
more  adroitly.     Who  knows  but  that  was  his  intention  ?" 

Edna  relapsed  again  into  silence. 

"  No,  I  never  could  love  Ralph,"  she  said,  after  a  long 
ime.     "  I  never  could  love  any  one,  Philip,  but  you." 

"Nonsense!"  he  cried.  "Love  is  like  dining;  one 
may  prefer  consomme,  but  he  can  eat  mock  turtle.  We 
must  take  whatever  is  on  the  bill  of  fare.  Ralph  would 
suit  you — he  is  all  fire.  Your  night-till-morning.  morn- 
ing-till-night  scheme  would  suit  him  admirably.  He 
is  not  your  first  cousin,  you  know,  but  only  of  the 
sixteenth  or  thirty-second  variety.     Nothing  could   be 


89  IPBAKIKG  OP  BLLSK. 

wiser.  It  would  also  be  a  great  relief  to  me.  1  am 
trustee  for  you  both,  and  I  should  be  able  to  get  along 
with  one  set  of  accounts  instead  of  Lwo." 

Edna  rose  with  dignity. 

"  You  are  not  compelled  to  come  here,  if  you  find  it  so 
tiresome,"  she  said,  in  a  faltering  voice. 

He  rose  also  and  placed  an  arm  about  her. 

"  There  !  When  we  reach  this  stage  I  always  know  it 
is  near  the  hour  for  my  departure." 

She  put  both  arms  about  his  neck  and  hid  her  face  on 
his  shoulder. 

"  Yes,  there  is  only  one  thing  left,"  he  said,  "  the  kiss* 
and-make-up.  We  have  timed  our  proceedings  with  the 
utmost  regularity.  I  think  we  have  not  varied  the  usual 
programme  in  any  essential  detail." 

She  suffered  him  to  lead  her  to  a  large  arm-chair,  and 
sank  into  his  embrace. 

"  When  will  you  come  again  ?"  she  asked. 

"  I  don't  know.  I  must  return  to  Riverfall  in  the 
morning." 

"  What  do  those  terrible  mill-workers  want  now  ?" 

"  '  Food  and  clothing,'  Ellen  says.  'A  fairer  share  of 
what  they  earn.'  " 

Edna  made  an  impatient  movement. 

"  They  had  it  all  last  year.  The  Great  Central  Cor- 
poration could  not  pay  its  dividend.  I  suppose  they 
would  like  to  have  us  assessed  for  their  benefit.  What 
ails  such  people  ?     They  never  used  to  act  so." 

"  That  is  what  I  mean  to  find  out,"  said  Westland,  re- 
flectively, "  That  is  why  I  spent  five  hours  with  Ellen 
last  night.  That  is  why  I  am  going  back  to  Riverfall 
to-morrow.  If  I  am  to  take  the  agency,  I  wish  to  know 
the  situation  a  little  better." 


LOVE    V8.    THIRTY    THOU9ANU   DOLLARS    A    TBAB  37 

**  Then  I  must  give  up  Italy  for  the  present,'  said  Erna, 
•lowly. 

**  Yes,  unless  you  and  Ralph  decide  to  go  there  on  your 
wedding  tour.  It  would  be  a  nice  place,  I  should  jutige. 
to  pass  the  silly  season  of  married  life.  The  more  1 1  jink 
of  it,  Edna,  the  more  I  am  convinced  it  is  the  best  t  aing 
for  you.  Ralph  is  twenty-two  ;  you  are  twentj  one. 
Between  you  there  is  nearly  a  million  dollars.  He  v^eds 
a  wife,  and  if  he  doesn't  find  one  pretty  soon  I  wov. t  be 
answerable  that  he  doesn't  go  to  the  devil,  the  sau  e  as 
half  the  other  young  idlers.  You  need  a  husband  -no* 
body  more.  I  shall  speak  to  Ralph  about  it  and  ;end 
him  up  here." 

"  You  will  return  in  a  few  days,  at  the  most,"  sh4  said, 
ignoring  the  levity  of  his  closing  words. 

*'  Yes,  by  Thursday,  probably.  Treat  Ralph  k  idly, 
but  be  careful  not  to  give  him  as  much  freedom  av  you 
do  me.  He  is  made  of  saltpeter  and  charcoal.  W  ,th  a 
girl  like  you  there  is  no  telling  what  might  ha  pep 
Ralph's  got  the  Melbourg  blood  in  him,  you  know. 

Then  he  kissed  her  good-by  and  went  out  intv^  the 
street,  humming  a  light  air  that  he  had  hearU  at  >-<Ma^ 
opera. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LOVE    VS.  $30,000  A  YEAR. 

Raiph  Melbourg  was  one  of  a  type  of  young  men 
often  found  in  America,  and,  it  might  truly  be  saia,  in 
other  countries  as  well,  who,  having  inherited  enougn  of 
Miis  world's  goods  to  make  labo'  no  necessity,  try  to  nnd 


^  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

in  eas^  dissipation  the  best  way  to  make  their  time  past 
agreeably.  It  is  one  of  the  worst  effects  of  our  industrial 
system  that  the  aggregation  of  undue  amounts  of  wealth 
in  certain  spots  not  only  robs  the  producers  of  a  large 
share  of  the  product  of  their  toil,  but  destroys  the  useful 
energy  of  those  to  whom  such  fortunes  are  bequeathed. 
It  is  the  popular  theory  that  a  young  gentleman,  whose 
ancestors  have  provided  him  with  a  competency,  does 
well  to  keep  out  of  the  already  overcrowded  channels  of 
trade.  "  Let  him  "ive  in  a  style  becoming  his  station," 
say  the  wiseacres  "Why  need  he  struggle  to  increase  a 
store  already  large  enough  for  his  wants  ?"  The  man  of 
elegant  leisure,  liv. ag  comfortably  on  his  income,  has  to 
many  minds  reached  the  ideal  state.  If  he  can  thus  live 
from  childhood,  without  a  day's  exertion  of  hand  or  brain, 
he  is  regarded  as,  in  the  highest  sense,  a  gentleman.  Let 
no  laborer's  son  with  grimy  hands  or  tired  head  presume 
to  dispute  his  title.  And  if  the  young  heir  chooses  to 
spend  some  of  his  money  in  sowing  wild  oats,  whose  bus- 
iness is  it  but  his  own  ?  He  pays  the  bills,  doesn't  he  ?  If 
at  a  wine  supper  he  "  gets  full "  the  police  are  not 
troubled — his  coachman  and  footman  will  carry  him 
home.  If  he  seduces  the  innocent  daughter  of  some 
clodhopper  he  will  do  the  "right  thing"  by  her  ;  he  will 
support  her  offspring. 

Su(-'h  is  the  popular  impression  regarding  the  rights  of 
inherited  wealth.  It  is  an  impression  almost  as  old  as 
nistory  ;  but  this  present  author  is  willing  to  predict  that 
the  public  mind  is  about  to  undergo  an  immense  change 
m  this  matter  ;  that  within  a  few  years  a  fortune  will 
bring  to  its  possessor  new  obligations  ;  and  that  more 
equitable  laws  will  make  it  impossible  for  any  man  to  be- 
come  a  Colossus,  under  whose  huge  legs  thousands  must 


jrXiVE   vs.    TIIIRTT   THOtTSAND    D0LLAB8    A    TEAK.  39 

crawl  for  the  privilege  of  living  on    an   earth  that   God 
made  for  all  alike. 

These  few  thoughts  may,  perhaps,  be  offered  by  tV/^ 
novelist  without  causing  him  to  be  accusea  of  posing  as 
a  Reformer.  At  the  worst  ae  can  only  be  charged  with 
pausing  to  indite  a  sermca  in  the  middle  of  a  romance 
Let  us  now  return  to  our  sheep,  -  hich  in  this  case  hap 
pens  to  be  Mr.  Ralph  Melbourg. 

Ten  years  before  the  date  when  our  story  opens,  Laban 
Melbourg  died  at  New  York.  Born  amid  the  forests  of 
Maine,  he  had  hewn  his  way  to  the  front  in  the  lumber 
world,  until,  by  "industry,  frugality  and  business  tact," 
as  the  obituarists  put  it,  ("and  by  taking  advantage  of 
unjust  laws,"  they  might  have  added)  he  could  call  a 
million  dollars  his  own.  This  million  he  divided  at  his 
death  among  his  natural  heirs,  remembering  every  rela- 
tion he  could  find  with  a  greater  or  less  present.  His 
only  child,  Edna,  received  the  largest  sum,  but  the  be- 
quest was  conditional  upon  her  remaining  single.  The 
lumber  merchant  did  not  intend  that  his  wealth  should 
go  to  fortune-hunters  and  he  believed  that  his  daughter's 
blindness  would  prevent  her  hand  being  sought  for  any 
other  reason.  His  second  cousin's  son,  Ralph,  who  had 
liked  nothing  better  as  a  boy  than  a  trip  to  Maine  with 
"  Uncle  Laban,"  was  given  a  goodly  amount,  but  in  his 
case  also  there  was  a  restriction.  He  could  claim  only 
the  income  of  his  property  until  his  twenty-fifth  year. 
Philip  Westland,  Sr.,  was  then  alive,  and  into  his  hands 
the  trusteeship  of  these  funds  was  placed,  with  the  fullest 
confidence.  When  he  died,  his  son  continued  the  busi- 
ness, and  the  courts  confirmed  him  as  the  natural  succes- 
sor to  the  father's  trusts. 

Philip  Westland,  the  younger,  was  a  different  man  from 
his  sire  in  many  respects.     He  devoted   himself  to  busi- 


40  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN 

ness,  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  protiiL  it  brought 
him  as  because  it  became  his  duty  to  protect  his  clients. 
The  proper  investment  of  trust  moneys  he  had  been 
taught  to  regard  as  the  most  sacred  of  human  obliga- 
tions. Years  under  his  father's  tutelage  had  impressed 
that  on  his  mind.  He  would  have  bought  a  piece  of  land 
or  a  hundred  shares  of  stock  for  himself  with  half  the 
caution  he  used  in  making  the  same  purchases  for  one  of 
his  customers. 

The  Melbourg  estate,  all  of  which  was  tied  up  in  one 
form  or  another,  was  his  largest  single  trust.  The  fact 
that  much  of  it  was  invested  in  the  Great  Central  Cor- 
poration was  what  took  him  so  often  to  Riverfall.  This 
investment  was  not  of  Westland,  Jr.'s,  own  making.  He 
had  early  decided  to  sell  the  stock  whenever  the  condi- 
tion of  the  market  would  warrant,  but  the  constant  laboi 
agitations,  and  especially  the  two  recent  strikes,  had  so 
lowered  its  market  value  that  to  dispose  of  it  now  would 
involve  too  great  an  apparent  sacrifice.  Real  estate  in 
and  around  the  metropolis  was  Westland's  notion  of  an 
ideal  investment.  He  did  not  care  much  for  mill  stocks 
now  that  the  whim  of  a  labor  chieftain  might  destroy  a 
year's  profits  in  a  month. 

The  Riverfall  strike  of  the  preceding  summer  had  re- 
duced the  income  of  both  Edna  and  Ralph  considerably. 
Edna  did  not  feel  the  difference,  as  she  had  the  smaller 
5um  there,  and  beside,  her  quiet  life  made  it  unnecessary 
for  her  to  spend  a  quarter  of  her  receipts.  But  her 
cousin  fumed  and  fretted  when  he  found  his  growing 
wants  cut  in  upon  in  this  fashion. 

"Good  heaven!"  he  exclaimed  one  day,  to  Westland, 
"  I  am  unable  to  live  now  on  $200  a  week.  What  shall  I 
do  on  $120?  It  will  be  clear  starvation  and  nothing 
less !" 


LOVB  VS.  THIRTY  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  A  TKAB.    41 

Westland  laughed  at  the  boy,  for  such  he  always  called 
him,  and  mildly  hinted  that  he  must  have  formed  ex- 
travagant habits. 

"  Extravagant !" cried  Ralph, contemptuously.  "Why, 
there  is  young  Astorfelt,  my  chum,  who  has  $1,500  a 
month,  and  more  if  he  wants  it !  I  feel  awful  mean  in 
his  company,  when  I  have  to  say  'No*  ton  dozen  sug- 
gestions every  week,  just  because  I  ca:;'c  afford  any- 
thing." 

'*  His  family  goes  back  several  generations  beyond 
yours,"  smiled  Westland.  "You  date  from  )'our  father's 
second  cousin  ;  he  had  a  great-great-grandfather." 

"  I  don't  care  !"  was  the  reply.  "  I  can't  live  on  $500 
a  month,  and  that's  all  there  is  to  it!  You  must  give  me 
more." 

Then  Westland  told  him,  in  a  manner  he  could  not 
mistake,  that  he  might  as  well  ask  him  to  break  into  the 
sub-treasury  vaults  as  to  exceed  by  ope  penny  the 
amount  specified  in  Laban  Melbourg's  wil  And  Ralph 
snapped  out  : 

"  If  the  income  on  those  devilish  stocks  should  drop 
to  zero,  I  should  starve,  I  suppose  ?" 

"Perhaps,  in  such  a  dire  contingency  as  that,  the 
courts  would  aid  you.  I  am  sworn  to  a  certain  line  of 
policy  and  I  cannot  deviate  from  it.  But,  what  do  you 
do  with  your  money,  Ralph  ?  You  have  a  good  deal, 
after  all.  I  would  like  to  see  an  account  of  your  ex- 
penses." 

The  two  men  were  such  good  friend  j,  in  spite  of  the 
difference  in  their  years  and  habits,  that  the  question 
only  brought  a  smile  to  Ralph's  cheek.  Only  a  smile? 
Yes,  it  brought  the  least  trace  of  a  blush  also.  For 
Ralph,  if  to  a  certain  extent  a  young  reprobate,  was  not 
yet  a  ver"  hardened  one 


12  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

"You  know,  Phil,"  said  he,  (he  always  called  Westland 
by  his  first  name,  as  he  had  heard  "  Uncle  Laban"  do, 
years  before,  and  as  Edna  did)  "  that  a  young  fellow 
who  wants  to  see  anything  of  Life  in  these  days  needs 
money.  I  have  to  live  in  a  suite  of  rooms,  don't  I  ?  I 
muse  dine  once  in  a  while.  .  must  tak:.  an  occasional 
spin  an  the  road — in  a  hired  Ag,  I'm  not  rich  enough  to 
own  one — like  the  rest  of  the  boys.  I  may  sometimes 
want  a  box  at  the  theatre,  and  I  have  been  known  to 
wear  clothes.  Now  how  far  will  $120  go  for  these,  to 
say  nothing  of  other  things,  equally  necessary  to  a  young 
fellow's  peace  and  comfort." 

Here  his  blush  deepened,  making  his  fair  young  face 
look  more  like  a  girl's  than  ever.  And  Ralph  could  have 
disguised  himself  in  feminine  attire  and  evaded  detection 
easily. 

"  For  instance,  women  ?"  insinuated  Westland.  "  I 
thought  so." 

There  was  no  rebuke  in  his  tone.  That  would  have 
been  beyond  his  rights  as  a  trustee  of  property.  There 
was  no  badinage,  either.  He  did  not  encourage  Ralph's 
immoralities,  but  neither  did  he  frown  on  them.  He 
paid  the  young  man  the  income  of  the  property  he  held 
in  trust  for  him,  as  regularly  as  the  day  came  around. 
What  Ralph  did  with  the  money  was  his  own  business. 
In  the  conversation  recorded  there  was  no  hint  to  the 
contrary.  It  was  on  account  of  the  complaint  of  its 
insufficiency  that  the  question  of  items  was  raised. 

"Well,  isn't  a  girl  all  right  ?"  asked  Ralph.  "I  tried 
to  be  economical  about  it.  She  was  a  dressmaker's 
apprentice,  earning  four  dollars  a  week,  when  I  first  met 
ner.  *  There,'  I  said  to  myself,  *  is  a  creature  whose 
wants  will  be  moderate.'  In  a  month  she  wanted  j-///^.' 
She  has  seven  rings  now.  three  of  them  diamonds !    11/ 


LOTE   TS.    THIRTY    THOUSAND   DOLLARS    A    TEAK.  ■fS 

bet  her  underclothing  costs  more  than  every  rag  t  wear. 
You  ought  to  see  the  laces  !  She  'hinks  champagne 
hardl)'-  good  enough  to  drink  and  she  wouldn't  ride  in  a 
street-car  to  save  her  life.  Six  months  ago  she  lived  on 
oatmeal  and  sausage.  To-day — whew  !  I'd  like  you  to 
glance  over  her  bill  of  fare  !" 

Westland  had  to  laugh  at  the  comical  look  that  Ralph 
gave  him. 

"And  you  are  surprised  ?"  he  said. 

"Why  shouldn't  I  be?" 

"Was  the  girl  virtuous  when  you  first  met  her?" 

"  Well,  I  should  hope  so,  at  this  expense  !"  laughed  the 
young  man.  "  I've  no  fault  except  her  extravagance  to 
find  with  Nathalie.  But  she  doesn't  know  where  to  put 
the  brake  on.  This  cut-down  in  my  receipts  makes  not 
the  slightest  difference.  If  I  had  Astorfelt's  cash  I 
wouldn't  take  a  mint  for  her  ;  but,  with  a  hundred-and- 
twenty  a-week  !     It  gives  me  the  blues  to  think  of  it !" 

Westland  had  grown  sober. 

"Do  you  wish  to  know  what  /think  ?"  he  asked. 

Ralph  bowed  assent. 

"  When  a  virtuous  girl  surrenders  herself  to  a  man  she 
can  never  get  too  much  from  him.  She  has  thrown 
away  everything  in  life — for  what?  Love?  It  will  last 
herafew  weeks  or  months.  Money?  Then  let  her  secure 
all  of  it  she  can.  Were  she  to  gain  in  exchange  the 
wealth  of  the  Vanderbilts  it  would  be  a  bad  bargain  for 
her." 

A  look  of  great  astonishment  came  into  Ralph's  face. 

"Wh}^  Phil,"  he  exclaimed,  "you  speak  as  if  you 
knew  !" 

"  Not  from  personal  experience,  if  that  is  what  you 
mean  No  woman  has  ever  made  any  impression  on  my 
neart,  and  I  think  none  ever  will.     But  if  I  were — a  thing 


#4t  SPEAKING   OF   ELLSST. 

i  cannot  conceive — to  accomplish  the  seduction  of  a  pure 
girl,  I  would  lay  all  my  possessions,  all  my  being  at  her 
feet,  and  pass  every  remaining  hour  in  an  endeavor,  that 
(  know  would  be  wholly  vain,  to  undo  the  irreparable 
injury  I  had  caused  her." 

He  paused  and,  as  Ralph  did  not  reply,  he  added,  with 
more  cheerfulness : 

"  I  am  not  reading  you  a  lecture,  my  boy,  but  only 
letting  you  a  little  into  my  thoughts  as  far  as  they  con- 
cern myself.  I  know  full  well  I  have  peculiar  views, 
which  I  was  betrayed  into  expressing." 

Ralph  roused  himself  like  a  man  who  has  been  half 
asleep. 

**  You'd  give  a  fellow  the  jim-jams,  Phil !  If  it  hadn't 
been  me  with  Nathalie,  it  would  have  been  some  one 
else.  Of  course,  I  sha'nt  ship  her  off  without  fair  notice, 
but  I  can't  let  her  ruin  me,  can  I  ?" 

"Certainly  not,"  said  Westland,  now  quite  himself 
again.  "You  know  it  is  not  my  style  to  lecture  any- 
body, and  you  must  not  mind  a  word  I  have  said.  Only, 
your  income  is  fixed  for  the  next  year  at  least.  There 
will  be  no  dividends  from  Riverfall  at  present.  Business 
is  business,  and  debt  is  a  terrible  nuisance.  That  is  the 
only  part  of  your  concerns  I  have  any  right  to  talk 
about." 

So  Ralph  went  back  to  Nathalie  and  tried  to  impress 
upon  her  mind  the  true  condition  of  his  affairs.  He 
told  her  plainly  that  unless  she  could  limit  her  expenses 
to  a  reasonable  sum  he  must  give  her  up.  She  laughed 
a  good  deal  at  his  earnestness  and  could  not  be  per- 
suaded that  the  whole  affair  was  anything  less  than  a 
huge  joke.  Indeed,  she  seemed  to  consider  life  itself  a 
gigantic  Picnic.  As  a  little  French  immigrant,  twelve 
years  before,  she  had  played  on  the  Bowery  sidewalks 


LOV«   T8.    THntTT   TH0U8AKD   DOLLARS    A    TKAR.         45 

and  thought  it  delightful.  When  she  was  sent  to  learn 
the  trade  of  dressmaking,  at  Mme.  Meliere's,  she  liked 
\hal  very  well,  too.  Her  excellent  appetite  took  the 
hardship  from  the  coarse  food  she  ate.  She  trimmed 
the  bare  walls  of  her  attic  chamber  with  pictures  cut 
from  the  French  illustrated  papers.  She  tied  her  hair 
with  bits  of  ribbon  found  on  the  floor  of  the  modiste's 
parlors,  fastened  her  collar  with  a  shilling  pin  and  went 
forth  to  conquer  the  susceptible  hearts  of  the  y<~'ung  men 
who  frequented  the  neighboring  concert  caf^s.  As  Ralph 
said,  she  was  sure  to  have  been  somebody's  prey.  He 
happened  to  see  her  one  evening  when  strolling  far  out 
of  his  usual  haunts  in  search  of  adventure.  He  met  hei 
several  times  after  that  by  appointment,  took  her  to  ride 
in  a  carriage,  initiated  her  into  the  delights  of  a  supper 
at  an  up-town  restaurant.  Then  he  promised  to  pay  for 
her  room  and  board  and  give  her  ten  dollars  a  week  as 
pocket-money — and  she  was  his. 

The  ten-dollar  arrangement,  as  we  have  seen,  did  not 
last  long.  With  the  quickness  of  her  race,  Nathalie's 
wants  kept  pace  with  the  opportunities  of  gratifying 
them.  Ralph  uncautiously  opened  a  new  world  to  her 
and  she  was  not  slow  in  desiring  to  possess  it.  At  first 
he  was  pleased  at  her  admiration  for  finery  and  at  the 
rapid  transformation  from  gamine  to  young  lady  that 
took  place  in  her  attire.  The  night  he  first  installed  her 
in  a  flat  on  Fourth  avenue  every  article  she  wore  would 
not  have  tempted  a  two-dollar  bill  from  the  pocket  of  a 
Chatham  street  old-clothes  dealer.  He  would  not  per- 
mit her  to  go  out  of  doors  with  him  until  an  entire 
change  had  been  made  in  her  dress.  Nothing  she 
wought  with  her  was  adjudged  worthy  of  retention 
*iJathalie  learned  quickly.  She  soon  had  as  great  a  con- 
!«*^pt  a5  Ri»,lph  for  cheap  things.     She  threw  tier  bras* 


46  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

rings  into  the  fire  and  held  out  her  fingers  for  gold  and 
jewels.  She  imitated  the  mistresses  of  Ralph's  friends, 
with  whom  she  was  brought  in  contact,  like  a  veritable 
little  ape.  She  bought  tooth-brushes,  nail-brushes,  deli- 
cate toilet  soaps,  Florida  water,  creams  and  powders 
without  limit.  She  thought  silken  hose  none  too  fine  foi 
her  shapely  legs  and  looked  with  disdain  upon  a  fifteen- 
dollar  hat  that  her  milliner  brought  her.  Pretty  as  a 
picture  even  in  her  calicoes,  she  grew  into  a  perfect  fairy 
under  the  touch  of  the  golden  wand. 

And  Ralph  grew  to  like  her  immensely.  Had  his  two- 
hundred  a-week  been  doubled,  instead  of  reduced,  (as  he 
had  no  doubt  it  should  have  been)  he  would  have  been 
quite  content  with  his  Nathalie.  The  unexpected  cut- 
down  left  him  in  unpleasant  straits. 

A  few  days  after  Westland's  talk  with  Edna,  he  had 
an  opportunity  to  sound  Ralph  on  the  marriage  question. 
The  young  fellow  had  come  in  to  draw  his  money  and 
again  complained  with  bitterness  of  his  inability  to  live 
on  so  beggarly  a  sum. 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  ought  to  tell  you,"  said  the  trus- 
tee. "  If  a  general  strike  in  the  New  England  cotton 
mills  should  occur,  as  now  seems  more  than  probable, 
even  your  present  income  will  be  materially  lessened. 
Your  property  is  invested  almost  altogether  in  mill  stocks. 
That  is  the  way  Mr.  Melbourg  left  it,  and  up  to  within  a 
few  years  they  paid  handsomely.  Last  year,  as  vou  are 
aware,  the  Great  Central  Corporation  lost  money  on  ac- 
count of  its  long  suspension  of  business.  If  the  other 
mills  also  suspend,  you  will  not  have  above  fifty  dollars 
a  week." 

"  Fifty  dollars  !"  ejaculated  Ralph,  in  horror  "  That 
wouldn't  pay  mv  tailor  !" 

"  It  would  pay  mine,"  smiled  Westiand.     "  In  fact  '  ^ 


tOVB   VS.    THIRTY    THOUSAND    DOLLARS    A    TBAK.  47 

not  spend  much  more  than  fifty  dollars  a  week    the  year 
through." 

"  Oh  !  "  broke  out  Ralph,  '*  .ut  you  are  so  devilish  vir- 
tuous,  you  know  !  You  don't  need  clothes,  and  you  don't 
drink  champagne,  and  you  have  no  millinery  bill  to 
settle.  I  wish  you'd  take  fifty  dollars  a  week  and  follow 
Nathalie.  She'd  lead  you  a  chase  !  You  give  me  the 
shakes,  Phil,  upon  my  word.     Fifty  dollars  !  " 

"  Now,  Edna's  property,"  continued  Westland,  eyeing 
Ralph  with  complacency, "  is  mostly  in  real  estate  here 
in  the  city.  She  will  draw  a  cool  six  hundred  every  week 
she  lives,  if  all  the  spinners  in  New  England  go  out." 

"Hang  these  fellows  who  make  wills!"  cried  Ralph, 
with  vehemence.  "Could  anything  be  more  senseless 
than  Uncle  Laban's  disposal  of  his  property?  Edna 
couldn't  spend  a  quarter  of  her  money,  if  she  tried,  and 
I  am  hampered  in  the  hardest  way  to  exist  at  all.  He 
should  have  exactly  reversed  it.  Six-hundred-a-week 
Jiminy  !  Wouldn't  I  like  to  exchange  incomes  with  her  !" 

Westland  leaned  toward  him  and  spoke  in  a  serious 
tone. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  add  $600  a  week  to  your  income 
Ralph  ?  If  you  do,  I  will  tell  you  how." 

Ralph  stared  at  him. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  know  ?  Nothing  is  more  easy.  Marry 
your  cousin." 

"Oh,  come  now,  that's  a  joke  !  "  said  Ralph,  with  a  dis- 
appointed look.  "Uncle's  will  provides  that  she  is  to 
lose  everything  the  day  she  marries." 

"And  who  gets  it?" 

Ralph  looked  a  little  startled.  He  had  never  thought 
of  that  before. 

"Kw  do,"  said  Westland.       "There    is  no  trouble 


#8  8FEAKIN0    07   ELL£N. 

about  it.     Induce  Edna  to  become  your  wife  and  yont 

financial  troubles  are  over." 

There  was  a  pause  and  then  Ralph  said  : 

"  I  couldn't,  Phil.  Besides,  I  always  thought  Edna 
was  waiting  for  you.  I  know  she  likes  you  and  I  have 
always  supposed  nothing  but  the  will  kept  you  apart." 

Westland  frowned  as  much  as  he  was  capable  of  frown- 
ing. 

"An  angel,  with  an  endless  purse,  would  not  tempt 
me,  Ralph.  I  have  the  highest  regard  for  your  cousin. 
More  than  that  I  never  felt  for  any  woman.  As  for 
money,  I  already  have  all  I  need." 

The  younger  man  hesitated.  He  seemed  to  be  revolv- 
ing  the  matter  over  in  his  mind. 

"What  put  this  into  your  head  ?"  he  asked,  suddenly. 

"  My  regard  foi  both  of  you.  Your  cousin's  incomes, 
as  you  say,  far  exceeds  her  wants.  Yours  is  much  undeif 
your  capacity  to  enjoy  life.  She  is  a  beautiful  girl, 
whose  one  misfortune  only  makes  her  other  qualities 
seem  the  brighter.  Her  nature  is  affectionate.  By  marry- 
ing you  9^16  would  be  certain  of  her  position  ;  and  as  you 
could  not,  even  were  you  so  disposed,  dissipate  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  fortune  she  would  bring  you,  her  ease  and 
comfort  would  be  assured.  You  may  be  what  the 
world  calls  a  little  wild,  but  you  would  never  wilfully  injure 
a  wife's  feelings.     Probably  marriage  would  sober  you.' 

Ralph  relapsed  into  a  brown  study. 

**  Nathalie  ?"  he  said,  at  last 

Westland  smiled. 

"What  a  name,"  he  said,  "to  bring  into  a  discussion 
regarding  a  fortune  of  $30,000  a  year  !" 

"Ah  I"  said  Ralph.  "  But  it  was  mostly  an  her  account 
fou  see,  that  I  wanted  the  money." 
He  looked  quite  distressed. 


LOVE   VS.   THIRTY   THOUSAND  DOLLARS   A   TKA.R.  49 

•*I  thought,"  said  the  trustee,  "that  you  might  marry 
•».ii  become  a  good,  upright,  respectable  member  ot 
society." 

Ralph  shook  his  head  decidedly. 

"  Why,  Phil,"  he  cried,  "I'm  only  twenty-two  I  How 
«:an  a  fellow  become  respectable  at  twenty-two?" 

They  both  laughed  together  at  the  oddity  of  the 
remark. 

"  You  must  not  marry  Edna  to  break  her  heart,"  said 
Wcstland.  "That  is  not  my  purpose  at  alL  I  am  seek- 
ing your  mutual  happiness." 

Then  there  was  another  pause. 

"  If  I  should  marry  Edna,"  Ralph  asked,  finally,  and 
with  an  effort,  "  could  I — never — see  Nathalie  again  ?" 

"After  marriage  !"  exclaimed  Westland,  as  if  greatly 
shocked.     "I  should  say  that  would  be  very  wrong  !" 

The  young  man  reddened.  "  You  speak  as  if  such 
things  were  never  done,"  he  said,  fretfully. 

"I  am  no  longer  your  guardian,"  was  the  reply,  "and 
fou  are  responsible  for  your  own  acts,  but  I  shall  nevei 
;ounsel  you  to  marry  with  the  deliberate  intention  of 
retaining  your  mistress.  It  looks  as  if  it  would  be  easy 
io  choose.  On  the  one  hand  is  your  cousin  and  her 
$30,000  a  year,  which  means  ease,  even  luxury.  On  the 
other  is  your  uneducated  and  capricious  dressmaker's 
Apprentice,  with  a  straightened  purse  and  a  not  over 
bright  future.     Which  shall  it  be  ?" 

When  Ralph  looked  up,  after  another  long  pauses 
*,here  was  a  bright  light  in  his  handsome  eyes. 

''I  thioK  I  pref«r  Nathalie,"  he  sakt 


SU  SPEAKING    OF    ELLER. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

**NO  FLESH    AS  CHEAP  AS   HUMAN    FLESH." 

The  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  was  sitting  in  her  little 
sitting-room  one  evening,  when  Hugh  Mayfield  ascended 
the  stairs.  She  answered  his  knock  with  a  friendly 
greeting,  and  cordially  bade  him  enter.  The  "  mill-hand  " 
removed  his  hat  as  he  crossed  the  threshold,  with  the  air 
of  one  who  salutes  his  sovereign.  No  weaver  or  spinner 
in  Riverfall  ever  met  Ellen  without  the  same  sign  of  the 
high  respect  with  which  she  was  regarded,  and  Hugh 
seemed  to  feel  fully  the  veneration  he  professed.  Yet 
there  was  no  gulf  between  these  two  persons,  such  as 
usually  divides  ruler  and  subject.  They  met  as  attached 
friends,  adherents  of  a  common  cause,  believers  in  the 
same  labor  creed,  equally  confident  of  the  ultimate 
emancipation  of  themselves  and  their  class  from  the 
capitalistic  yoke.  Both  performed  their  day's  work  in 
the  mills  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation.  Both 
devoted  their  leisure  hours  to  ameliorating  the  present 
and  endeavoring  to  improve  the  future  condition  of  their 
fellow-workmen.  Contrary  to  the  custorn  of  many 
"labor  reformers,"  they  accepted  neither  salary  nor 
gratuity  for  their  services.  They  were  glad  to  work  in 
the  cause  because  their  hearts  were  there. 

"  Have  you  heard  what  the  directors  did  at  their  meet« 
ing  to-day  ?"  was  Ellen's  first  question. 

Hugh  marked  her  anxious  expression  and  answered, 
regretfully  : 

"Yes,  a  cut-down  has  been  ordered,  to  *ake  «ffect 
November  ist." 


•*  NO    FLESH    A8    CHEAP   AS    HUMAN   FLESH.*'  51 

They  were  seated  on  opposite  sides  of  a  plain  wooden 
table.  Ellen  placed  her  elbows  upon  it  and  rested  hel 
face  in  both  her  hands. 

"They  say,"  pursued  Hugh,  "that  tlie  strike  of  lasf 
year  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  pay  a  dividend 
that  they  have  a  right  to  earn  a  reasonable  percentage 
on  their  capital  ;  and  that,  at  the  present  rate  of  wages, 
they  cannot  do  so.  I  learned  all  this  from  Ca'-ter's  son, 
who  is  Mr.  Baker's  errand  boy,  and  was  told  to  stay  in 
the  room." 

Ellen's  expressive  countenance  took  on  a  subdued 
look  as  she  listened,  but  not  a  sign  of  discouragement 
was  visible.  She  bent  her  dark  eyes  upon  her  compan- 
ion, drinking  in  every  word  of  the  unpleasant  tidings. 
with  the  resignation  of  an  invalid. 

"Was  Mr.  Westland  there  ?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

"  Did  he  say  anything  ?" 

"He  was  the  most  emphatic  of  them  all.  *  We  must 
teach  these  people  a  lesson,'  were  his  words.  *It  is  time 
it  was  settled  who  owns  these  mills.  If  these  spinners 
do,  we  will  abandon  the  field  to  them,  but  let  us  make 
the  test  first.'  Jimmy  was  very  careful  to  remember. 
All  your  talks  seem  to  have  gone  for  naught." 

Ellen  took  up  a  pocket  Testament  which  lay  on  the 
table. 

"  It  is  eighteen  centuries  since  Christ  died  for  us,  and 
yet  we  feel  the  oppressor's  hand.  Shall  we  therefore  say 
He  lived  on  earth  in  vain  ?  No,  Hugh.  The  seed  I 
have  planted  in  Mr.  Westland's  heart  will  bear  fruit  some 
day  ;  be  sure  of  it." 

He  returned  the  radiant  look  she  gave  him. 

"  How  hopeful  you  always  are  !"  he  cried.  "  At  the 
darkest  hour  it  is  almost  daylight  with  you.     But  you 


9t  fPBAKmo  or  Rxnr. 

have  not  heard  all.     *  We  have  been  too  lenient  in  th« 

past,'  he  said.  *I  am  in  favor  of  giving  Mr.  Baker  abso- 
lute power.  We  ought  to  have  a  mill-owners*  league,  so 
that  when  the  workers  in  one  mill  go  out  every  spindle 
in  the  country  shall  cease  to  revolve.  If  wc  are  to  have 
a  strike  over  this  cut-down  it  can  be  so  managed  that  we 
shall  never  have  another.  We  must  give  these  people  a 
taste  of  idleness  that  they  will  not  care  to  repeat  in  this 
generation.  We  ought  to  be  ready  to  lock  the  mill  doors 
and  leave  Riverfall  to  itself  for  a  year  if  necessary. 
Hitherto  we  have  appeared  overanxious  to  resume.  The 
hands  knew  that,  at  the  worst,  they  could  accept  the 
mill's  figures  at  any  time.  On  the  next  strike  I  want  to 
see  them  await  our  pleasure.  It  will  cost  us  something, 
but  we  shall  profit  by  it  in  the  end.  The  day  has  passed 
when  any  irresponsible  man — or  woman — should  dictate 
terms  to  five  millions  of  capital.' " 

The  Marchioness  heard  every  word  without  changing 
her  attitude.  A  stray  lock  of  hair  fell  carelessly  across 
her  face,  adding  to  its  former  piquancy.  Only  the 
throbbings  of  her  full  bust,  innocent  of  corset,  discern* 
able  through  her  plain  print  dress,  betrayed  the  effect 
the  story  had  upon  her. 

"  What  does  he  think  we  are — cattle  T* 

"Worse!"  replied  Hugh.  "He  would  not  risk  the 
lives  and  health  of  cattle  as  he  risks  ours.  No  flesh  is 
held  as  cheap  as  human  flesh.  To  use  the  expression 
of  the  day,  our  race  is  suffering  from  over-production. 
We  are  slaves  to  masters  who  do  not  even  have  the  obli- 
scation  to  provide  us  food.  How  is  our  condition  better 
»nan  that  of  the  Russian  serf  when  he  was  tied  to  the 
soil  ?  We  have  no  trade  but  that  of  the  mills.  If  one 
Oiill  grinds  us  b«yond  cnduraoce  we  can  go  to  anotiiei— ' 


•*  HO   FLBBH    AS   CHBAP    AS    HUMAN    FLESH."  53 

and   find  the  same  condition  of  things  there     This  cut- 
down  is  ordered.     What  can  we  do  ?" 
"  Strike  '  "  said  Ellen,  laconically. 

"At  the  approach  of  winter!  You  see  they  have 
adroitly  presented  the  issue  to  us  at  the  very  worst  time 
of  year." 

"  We  must  destroy  their  profits,"  she  said,  with  decision. 
"They  are  susceptible  to  no  other  argument.  But  do  not 
wait  until  November.  Appoint  a  committee  at  once  to 
wait  u^^on  them  and  ask  to  have  the  wages  fixed  for  the 
year  ensuing.  If  they  refuse  to  discuss  the  matter,  if 
they  strive  to  gain  time  by  delay,  if  they  insist  on  the 
cut-down  rate,  let  every  man,  woman  and  child  quit  work 
immediately." 

Hugh  looked  surprised  at  the  audacity  of  the  proposi- 
tion. 

"  We  shall  listen  to  you,  of  course,"  he  answered.  "  We 
fihall  obey  you.     But,  have  you   thought  of  everything?" 

She  clasped  her  hands  spasmodically  together. 

**  What  have  I  not  thought  of  ?  Hunger.?  Cold?  Naked- 
ness ?  Little  children  crying  for  food  and  fire  ?  Suffering 
women,  despairing  men  ?  Yes,  I  have  thought  of  it  all  ! 
I  know  what  a  long  strike  means.  But  imagine  yourself 
on  the  far  Western  prairie,  with  your  larder  exhausted 
and  no  possible  means  of  replenishing  it  from  any  point 
nearby.  What  would  you  do?  Sit  down  and  weep?  No, 
you  would  undertake  the  journey  toward  aland  of  plenty. 
The  march  might  be  long,  the  nights  cold  ;  the  wolves 
might  howl  around  your  camp-fire  ;  the  sun  might  scorch 
you,  the  dews  chill  you,  but  you  would  still  struggle  on. 
We  must  make  our  stand  right  where  we  are  against  these 
capitalists  !  If  they  can  cut  the  scanty  wages  we  now  re« 
ceive  they  can  cut  them  again  and  yet  again  !  If  to-day 
*v  submit  to  be  crushed  to  the  earth,  to-morrow  we  siial 


5>A  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEK. 

be  ground  in  the  mire.  We  must  strike.  Our  people 
must  be  impressed  with  the  full  significance  of  the  move 
As  Mr.  Westland  says,  it  will  be  a  decisive  contest." 

A  knock  interrupted  the  speaker,  and  when  she  opened 
her  door  the  presence  of  the  man  whose  name  was  last 
upon  her  lips  certainly  surprised  her  a  little.  However, 
she  bade  him  enter  in  a  pleasant  voice,  and  gave  him 
a  chair.  Hugh  rose  and  took  his  hand  with  no  greater 
or  less  outward  cordiality  than  usual. 

"  I  did  not  intend  to  be  an  eavesdropper,"  said  West- 
land,  "but  I  could  not  avoid  hearing  my  name  mentioned 
as  I  reached  the  landing.  It  is  perhaps  a  natural  curios- 
ity that  leads  me  to  wonder  what  you  could  find  interest- 
ing in  that  subject." 

Hugh  glanced  at  Ellen,  as  if  it  were  for  her  to  make 
reply,  but  she  signified  that  he  might  answer,  and  he  said  : 
"We  were  speaking  of  the  relations  of  the  Great  Cen- 
tral Corporation  to  its  work-people." 

"  We'.l,"  said  Westland,  pleasantly,  "  in  what  respect 
has  the  corporation  offended  its  employes  this  time.''" 
"  There  are  rumors  of  an  intended  cut-down." 
Westland  evinced  a  little  astonishment  at  the  rapidity 
with  ^'ihich  the  news  had  traveled.  Then  he  looked  at 
the  cr.'m  lace  that  Ellen  turpcd  in  his  direction,  and  won- 
dered what  she  thought  of  him. 

"If  ther^  should  be  a  cut-down,"  he  replied,  evasively, 
"it  would  be  ordered  from  sheer  necessity.  Probably 
you  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  stockholders  have  had 
no  dividends  for  a  year.  You  would  hardly  claim  ihat 
they  ought  to  invest  their  money  here  without  reaping 
«ome  reward.  Or — perhaps  you  would,  though,"  he 
<vclded,  pausing. 

Hugh   glanced    at    Ellen,  in  the  hope  that  she  would 


**  NO    FLESH    AS    CHEAP    AS    HUMAN    FLESH."  6* 

take  up  the  argument,  but  she  gave  no  sign,  and  he  pro- 
ceeded : 

"  For  ten  years  previous  to  the  last  one  the  Great  Cen- 
tral Corporation  paid  an  average  dividend  of  twelve  per 
cent,  on  a  capital  notoriously  watered.  Its  five  millions 
of  stock  represents  an  actual  outlay  of  not  more  than  one 
million  dollars.  In  other  words,  the  stockholders  have 
pocketed  sixty  per  cent,  in  profits.  Last  year  the  workers 
asked  for  a  slight  increase  in  wages.  When  it  was 
refused,  they  went  out  in  a  body.  The  mill  was  idle 
twelve  weeks,  and  I  presume  it  was  on  that  account  that 
no  dividend  was  paid." 

Westland  nodded  assent  to  the  latter  proposition. 
"In  those  twelve  weeks,"  he  said,  impressively,  "the 
employes  of  the  corporation  lost  $200,000  that  tSiey 
might  have  earned.  In  the  same  time,  from  various 
causes  connected  therewith,  the  stockholders  lost  more 
than  double  that  amount.  At  the  end  of  the  strike  the 
hands  returned  to  work  at  the  old  wages.  The  total 
result  was  a  loss  of  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  million,  as 
I  figure  it.  Now  please  tell  mc,  if  you  know,  what  was 
the  gain  ?" 

Mayfield   did    not   immediately  reply   and    Westland, 
after  waiting  a  moment,  continued  : 

"  From  the  results  of  that  strike,  as  you  have  rightly 
guessed,  the  stockholders  received  no  dividend.  The 
product  of  other  mills  filled  the  place  of  theirs  in  the 
markets.  The  evil  results  are  still  felt.  If  a  dividend  is 
to  be  earned  during  the  next  twelve-month,  expenses 
must  be  decreased  in  some  way.  Had  the  worK-peopfe 
considered  before  the  last  strike  they  could  have  pre- 
dicted this  result.  By  abandoning  the  mills  at  an 
important  time  they  caused  a  heavy  loss.      They  may 


58  SPEAKIKG    or    ELLBK. 

now  be  asked  to  make  it  up,  and  if  so,  how  can  they  cai/ 

't  unjust  ^" 

"You  contend  that  these  stockholders  must  have  then 
sixty  per  cent.,  even  if  it  comes  out  of  our  sweat  anv. 
blood  ?"  said  Hugh. 

"  I  contend,  in  or  e  word,  that  I  have  the  right  to  pui 
chase  labor,  if  I  r  m  an  employer,  at  the  lowest  market 
price.  If  the  owner  of  a  bale  of  cotton  asks  me  more  foi 
it  than  I  believe  it  worth,  I  will  not  make  the  purchase 
until  he  comes  to  my  terms.  If  the  owner  of  a  day'f 
work  does  the  same,  I  will  treat  him  in  like  manner. 
Any  other  course  would  disrupt  the  entire  fabric  of  bus- 
iness." 

It  was  Ellen  who  answered  that. 

"  You  speak  of  what  you  have  the  rig?U  to  do.  Per« 
haps  you  mean  th.^  power  J" 

*'  I  mean  both,"  he  said. 

"  You  have  lived  in  this  world  for  how  long — -thirty 
years  ?" 

"  About  that." 

"What  have  you  ever  done,"  she  said,  earnestly,  ** to 
earn  the  food  you  have  eaten  and  the  clothes  you  have 
vorn  ?" 

"  Well,"  he  smiled,  '*  I  have  been  a  guardian  of  minors 
ind  a  trustee  of  estates.  It  has  kept  me  pretty  busy,  and 
I  might  add  without  immodesty  that  those  who  have 
employed  me  have  expressed  satisfaction." 

Ellen  leaned  her  elbows  upon  the  table  and  rested  her 
face  ir  her  hands,  as  she  had  done  before  he  came.  He 
thought  he  had  never  seen  her  look  more  picturesque. 

"No  doubt,"  she  said;  "no  doubt  you  have  done 
well  for  them.  But,  tell  me,  have  you  ever  earned  a 
penny  m  your  life?     Have  you  cv&r  proatued  anytmng« 


"  NO   FLESH    AS   CHEAP    AS    HUMAN   FLESH."  57 

is  there  any  necessity  of  life  that  owes  its  existence  to 
your  personal  labor  ?" 

Westland  lowered  his  eyes  under  her  searching  gaze. 

**  That  is  a  most  remarkable  series  of  personal 
qmestions,"  he  said. 

She  hardly  seemed  to  hear  his  answer, 

"  You  have  lived  thirty  years.  Is  any  one  the  better 
or  the  wiser  for  it  ?  You  have  had  the  charge  of  much 
property  as  trustee.  You  have  made  it  produce  the 
highest  interest  possible.  Perhaps  some  of  those 
employers  of  yours  have  more  money  than  they  will 
ever  need — double  what  they  spend — it  is  the  same  to 
you  !  Perhaps  the  people  from  whom  the  money  comes 
are  very  poor  and  draw  it  from  the  bottoms  of  nearly 
empty  pockets — you  do  not  care  !  Under  the  law  it  ia 
due,  and  you  collect  it.  You  are  acting  legally,  and  oui 
great,  good,  noble,  paternal  government  will  support  you, 
even  if  you  take  the  bed  from  under  a  child  that  is 
dying  !" 

Westland  found  it  difficult  to  preserve  his  nonchalani 
demeanor  in  the  teeth  of  such  an  arraignment,  but  h< 
thought  it  best  not  to  interrupt  her.  While  she  did  nol 
convince,  she  interested  him. 

*'  What  valuable  thing  have  you  ever  done  for  your  racvi, 
I  ask  again  ?"  pursued  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall. 
"*'  Did  you  ever  place  a  potato  or  a  grain  of  corn  in  the 
*arth  ?  Did  you  ever  plant  a  seed  from  which  fruit  has 
grown  ?  Have  you  woven  a  yard  of  cloth,  put  a 
needle  into  a  shoe,  levelled  a  tree  for  firewood  ?  Have 
you  taught  children  to  read,  given  medicine  to  the  sick, 
dug  a  grave  for  the  dead  ?  Many  persons  have  labored 
for  you  since  you  were  born  ;  what  have  you  done  foi 
them  ?  Nothing  !  You  have  lived  on  the  product  ot 
t>the»   menstoil.     Take,  for  instswice,  that  suit  o^  clothe* 


58  SPEAKING   OF    ELLEN. 

you  are  wearing  Somebody  tended  a  flock  of  sheep  on 
the  plains ;  somebody  sheared  them  of  their  fleeces, 
washed  the  wool,  combed  it,  transported  it  many  miles, 
carded,  spun,  wove,  colored,  cut,  made  and  pressed  ic 
into  its  present  form.  It  is  a  handsome  suit,  but  it  does 
not  become  you  well,  because  I  know  you  have  never  paid 
for  it  r 

Hugh  was  about  to  interpose  a  word,  but  Westland, 
with  a  quick  motion,  counseled  him  to  silence.  Ellen 
did  not  offend  him.  He  was  entranced  with  her  elo- 
quence. 

"  I  can  think  of  you  as  a  babe,"  continued  the  Mar- 
chioness, looking  through  Westland  rather  than  at  him. 
"  You  had  a  hired  nurse,  of  course,  being  the  child  of 
parents  well-to-do.  A  seamstress  sewed  on  your  soft 
garments.  A  doctor  was  summoned  if  you  cried.  When 
you  grew  older  teachers  expended  their  energies  in- 
stilling into  your  mind  the  knowledge  that  may  be  found 
in  books.  They  taught  you  how  to  read  the  iniquitous 
laws  of  your  country  ;  to  compute  the  compound  interest 
on  four  millions  of  watered  stock,  at  twelve  per  cent,  per 
annum  ;  to  write  essays  on  the  unaccountable  growth  of 
vice  and  crime  among  the  poor.  Servants  attended  you, 
prepared  your  meals,  swept  your  chamber,  gratified  your 
every  necessity.  When  you  reached  the  age  of  manhood, 
did  you  seek  to  render  equal  service  to  other  helpless 
ones  ?  No  !  You  -wo.re.  a.  gentleman — God  save  the  mark  ! 
You  never  did  anything,  you  never  meafi  to  do  anything, 
to  help  support  the  great  table  at  which  you  have  eateaj 
so  greedily  !" 

He  listened  with  unchanging  countenance,  and  when 
she  paused  he  said,  with  deference  : 

"I  have  no  wish  to  dispute  your  assertions,  but  I  am 
wondering  if  you  think  it  a  wholly  disreputable  profes* 


•'  MO   FLESH    AS   CHEAP    A8    HUMAN    FLESH.'*  5S 

sion  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  widows  and  orphant 
whose  interests  have  been  committed  to  my  charge. 
Husbands  and  fathers  have  died  content,  feeling  that 
their  loved  ones  were  provided  for,  confident  that  I 
would  carry  out  their  wishes  in  the  disposal  of  the  prop- 
erty they  had  acquired.  Ought  I  to  abandon  my  wards 
and  prove  unfaithful  to  my  trusts  ?  I  ask  you  in  all  hon- 
esty what  you  think  of  that." 

Ellen  replied  without  a  moment's  hesitation  : 

"The  System  under  which  you  are  acting  is  totally 
wrong.  Because  a  man  has  succeeded  in  wresting  fifty 
times  his  share  from  the  earth,  the  mill  or  the  mine,  it  is 
no  reason  why  his  widow  should  fold  her  hands  in  idle- 
ness  or  his  children  grow  up  drones  for  others  to  sup« 
port.  I  grant  you  that  no  child  should  be  deprived  ot 
education  nor  of  the  innocent  enjoyments  of  youth.  But, 
by  what  scale  of  justice  must  one  set  of  children  toil,  for 
instance,  in  the  mills  of  the  Grent  Central  Corporation, 
in  order  that  another  set  may  live  in  luxurious  ease? 
The  will  of  a  millionaire  c.  ihe  fiat  of  a  judge  has  placed 
certain  sons  and  daughters  of  wealth  under  your  protec- 
tion but,  as  a  stockholder  in  these  mills  at  Riverfall, 
there  are  also  other  children  to  whom  you  owe  guardian- 
ship. Yes,  children  young  and  children  old,  your 
brothers  and  sisters  by  the  same  Almighty  Father,  who 
will  surely  hold  you  to  a  strict  account  when  your  final 
books  are  opened  !" 

The  silence  that  followed  deepened  tho-impressiveness 
of  these  words.     Mayfield  was  the  first  to  speak. 

*•  I  think  Ellen  will  allow  me  to  say  that  in  ner  arraign- 
ment of  Capital  she  does  not  mean  to  be  especially 
severe  upon  you,  personally,  Mr.  Westland.  She  has 
only,  I  believe,  used  you  vicariously,  as  representing  a 
class." 


$Q  SPEAKING    oy    KLLKF. 

**  That  is  all,  certainly,"  said  Ellen,  with  a  beautifm 
smile  that  bore  no  trace  of  animosity.  "  You  are  Hugh's 
friend,  and  that  makes  you  mine.  We  may  differ  for  the 
present,  but  I  think  we  shall  do  so  with  good  nature,  j 
do  you  the  justice  to  think  you  a  perfectly  honest  man, 
from  your  wholly  erroneous  standpoint.  If  we  ever  con- 
vince your  reason,  I  am  sure  you  will  come  to  our  aid 
Meantime  I  trust  we  shall  see  you  often." 

"  I  admit  that  there  is  a  fascination  in  your  argument," 
said  Westland,  "and  yet  your  views  seem  to  me  quite 
Utopian.  But  we  shall  soon  be  face  to  face  with  a  real 
problem,  in  which  I  may  be  compelled  to  take  an  impor- 
tant part.  The  complications  which  will  arise  may 
strain  our  friendship  ;  I  hope  they  will  not  break  it. 
Before  they  do  anything  rash  I  trust  the  people'of  River- 
fall  will  consider  well.  The  mill-owners  were  never  so 
strong  in  their  determination  to  run  their  business  after 
their  own  methods." 

All  three  had  arisen,  as  the  speaker  showed  a  purpose 
to  depart.  Ellen  smiled  as  she  responded,  "We  also  are 
determined,"  and  as  he  looked  into  her  resolute  eyes  he 
could  not  doubt  that  a  great  contest  was  at  hand. 

Westland  descended  the  stairs  and  walked  along  the 
deserted  streets  to  his  hotel.  An  odd  thing  came  into 
his  mind — a  controversy  he  had  lately  read  au  account 
of,  on  the  subject  of  platonic  affection  between  men 
and  women. 

"  The  case  of  Hugh  and  Ellen  looks  like  that  sort  oi 
thing,"  was  his  mental  comment.  "Their  attachment  is 
lemarkable,  and  no  one  could  look  for  a  moment  mto 
her  pure  face  and  harbor  the  thought  of  anything  base.  ' 


TKS  WKIKSDEST  Mill.  §1 


CHAPTER   V.     ^ 

THE    WICKEDEST    MAN, 

One  afternoon  Edna  Melbourg  received  a  call  from 
her  cousin  Ralph,  who  proposed  that  she  tak6  a  ride 
with  him  out  toward  Harlem,  in  a  dog-cart  which  he 
had  brought  for  the  purpose.  After  recovering  from 
the  surprise  into  which  this  request  threw  her,  for  he  had 
never  suggested  such  a  thing  before,  she  accepted  the 
invitation  and  proceeded  to  another  room  to  prepare 
herself.  Ralph  walked  nervously  up  and  down  the  par- 
lor,  examining  the  pictures  in  an  absent  way,  for  his 
cousin's  blindness  had  not  prevented  her  from  decora- 
ting her  apartments  with  many  products  of  the  painter's 
art.  Westland  had  selected  most  of  them  for  her,  or 
perhaps  it  would  be  more  correct  to  say,  she  had  selected 
them  through  him.  He  often  accompanied  her  to 
studios  and  artists'  sales,  where  she  passed  happy  hours 
in  listening  to  his  descriptions  of  the  works  she  could 
act  see.  When  his  account  of  any  picture  pleased  her 
she  would  ask  for  the  most  minute  particulars  regard- 
ing it,  and  a  purchase  was  frequently  the  result.  She 
noted  with  exactness  the  location  of  each  work  whew 
they  were  hung  in  her  rooms,  and  frequently  described 
them,  one  after  another,  to  callers,  with  a  fidelity  that 
was  astonishing.  Another  thing  that  she  particularly 
delighted  in  was  statuettes,  both  of  famous  men  and 
women,  and  of  well-known  works  of  art.  These  she  took 
much  pleasure  in  touching  with  her  delicate  fingers, 
kAffing  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  each  one  as  soon  as 
!&•  placed  ber  hand  upon  it.  Nothing  in  her  abode  coo* 


02  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

veyed  the  least  suspicion  of  the  misfortune  of  the  occu^ 
pant.  Ralph  thought  of  this  as  he  stood  before  one  o( 
the  numerous  long  mirrors  and  surveyed  his  own  well- 
knit  form.     Mirrors  in  a  blind  girl's  room  ! 

"They  seem  almost  as  much  out  of  place  here  as  a 
husband  would  be,"  was  his  thought. 

Ralph  had  the  highest  opinion  of  his  cousin  Edna. 
Though  a  year  his  junior,  she  appeared  to  him  enough 
older  in  wisdom  to  be  his  mother, almost.  She  had  been 
a  "  young  lady"  nearly  as  long  as  he  could  remember. 
Westland's  notion  that  they  might  be  mated  seemed 
quite  visionary.  He  had  not  come  this  afternoon  for  the 
purpose  of  proposing.  And  yet,  unless  that  idea  had 
been  advanced,  he  would  not  have  been  there  at  all.  He 
wanted  to  be  better  acquainted  with  his  cousin.  He 
began  to  feel  that  he  had  done  wrong  to  neglect  her  so, 
when  she  was  the  only  relation  he  had  in  the  city.  Be- 
sides, an  acquaintance  with  $30,000  a-year  ought  to  be 
cultivated. 

When  they  were  seated  in  the  cart  and  had  ridden 
two  or  three  blocks,  Edna  surprised  Ralph  by  asking 
what  was  the  matter  with  him  that  afternoon, 

"You  are  troubled  about  something,  cousin,"  she  said. 
"  Tell  me  what  it  is." 

"  I  ?  Troubled  ?"  he  answered,  confusedly.  "  Why  do 
you  think  that  ?" 

"Oh,  I  can  tell,"  responded  Edna.  "We  blind  people 
can  comprehend  some  things  better  than  you  who  have 
sight.  In  the  first  place  you  are  taciturn,  which  is 
something  very  new  for  you.  Then,  your  movements 
are  more  uneasy  than  is  your  habit.  Instead  of  taking 
a  seat  in  my  parlor  and  looking  out  of  the  window  while 
you  were  waiting  for  me,  you  paced  the  floor.  Then 
again,  though   you  have  known  me  all  your  life,  this  is 


THE   WICKEDEST   MAJf.  0S 

the  first  time  you  ever  took  me  to  ride.  Am  I  not  justi- 
fied in  the  presumption  that  you  have  some  trouble  on 
your  mind  that  you  think  I  may  be  able  to  lift,  or  at 
least  to  advise  you  about.  Come,  cousin,  own  the  truth, 
for  I  assure  you  equivocation  is  useless." 

Ralph  listened  astounded,  as  she  drew  the  cords  of 
evidence  about  him. 

"  Well,  you  are  observing  !"  he  said. 

"  You  admit  the  correctness  of  my  accusation,"  she 
answered,  evidently  pleased  at  this  proof  of  her  dis 
cernment.      "  Now,  what  is  it  ?" 

Ralph  was  the  poorest  person  in  the  world  at  dissem- 
bling, and  on  this  occasion  he  astonished  himself  no  less 
than  his  cousin  by  his  reply  : 

"Say,  Edna,  do  you  want  to  get  married  ?" 

A  bright  color  filled  the  girl's  cheek  at  the  question, 
so  wholly  unexpected.  She  drew  several  very  short 
breaths,  but  almost  instantly  regained  a  portion  of  her 
outward  composure. 

"  Who  told  you  to  ask  me  that  ?"  she  said.  Then,  as 
he  hesitated,  she  added,  "  I  know,  Mr.  Westland." 

The  young  man's  eyes  opened  so  wide  at  this  guess 
that  his  cousin  would  have  had  no  difficulty  in  con- 
victing him,  on  that  proof  alone,  had  she  been  able  to 
see  their  expression. 

"Why,  Edna — "  he  began. 

"You  are  stammering,"  she  interrupted.  "Why  not 
be  truthful  ?  Let  me  give  you  a  lesson  in  frankness. 
I  like  you  very  much,  but  I  do  not  want  you  for  a  hus- 
band. We  ought  to  be  attached  friends — not  lovers — 
and  I  trust  from  now  on  I  shall  see  you  more  frequently. 
That  is,  if  your  other  acquaintances  will  consent  to  spare 
you.' 

Ralph  WIS  so  taken  aback  by  her  cool  responses,  and 


64  SPEAKING    or   KLLEIf. 

especially  by  the  mediumistic  powers  that  she  seemed 
to  possess,  that  he  could  only  repeat,  "  Other  acquaint- 
ances!" with  an  equivocal  intonation  that  did  not  escape 
the  quick  senses  of  the  blind  girl.  She  made  an  instant 
and  successful  guess, 

"  Yes  ;  that  fair  creature,  for  instance,  who  has  taken 
up  so  much  of  your  thoughts  during  the  past  year." 

There  was  little  risk  in  making  this  plunge.  There 
are  few  young  men  who  could  not  find  some  one  in  their 
list  of  feminine  acquaintances  to  fit  the  description. 
Even  if  Ralph  should  protest  with  evident  sincerity  against 
her  accusation,  all  she  need  do  would  be  to  laugh  it  off 
as  a  joke.  But  Edna  had  the  wisdom  of  her  sex  com- 
bined with  the  keenness  of  those  to  whom  physical  vision 
is  denied.  She  remembered  Westland's  unambiguous 
words,  "  He's  got  the  Melbourg  blood  in  him." 

"Tell  me  about  her,  Ralph,"  she  said,  softly.  "Tell 
Hie  what  you  mean  by  proposing  marriage  to  one  woman 
while  your  heart  is  already  enthralled  by  another." 

"Goodness,  Edna  !"  he  cried,  desperately.  "You  take 
a  fellow's  breath  away  !  Love  is  one  thing,  you  know — 
and — and  marriage — why,  that's  another." 

"  Ah  !"  she  retorted,  with  mock  dignity.  "  So  you 
were  going  to  marry  me  and  reserve  your  /ov<!  for  some- 
one else  !" 

He  was  more  startled  at  this  than  at  anything  else 
she  had  said.  She  perceived  his  agitation  quite  as  dis- 
tinctly as  if  she  could  have  looked  into  his  disconcerted 
countenance. 

"Either  you  are  a  clairvoyant,"  he  said,  "or,  what  is 
more  likely,  Phil  Westland  has  been  giving  me  away." 

The  color  left  the  blind  girl's  face,  and  she  responded, 
in  an  expressionless  tone  : 

"  You  admit  that  he  knew  of  your  plan,  then  ?" 


THE   WICKEDEST   MAN 


"Yes,"  confessed  the  young  man,  "  if  you  must  know. 
Phil  knew  of  it  and  lie  gave  me  one  of  his  lectures,  too. 
It  was  mean  of  him  to  tell  you,  though,"  he  added,  in  a 
burst  of  indignation.  "  He  knew  I  gave  it  up  as  soon  as 
he  suggested  I  should." 

The  young  man  had  no  idea  of  the  way  he  was  play- 
jno-  into  the  hands  of  the  shrev/d  woman  whose  talents  he 
so  little  understood.  She  could  read  him  as  easily  as 
another  person  could  have  read  an  open  book.  Edna 
easily  conceived  that  a  woman  whom  a  man  proposed 
to  continue  loving  after  his  marriage  with  another  must 
be  of  easy  virtue.  "  Love  is  one  thing,  marriage  an- 
other," he  had  said.  Partly  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  of 
her  sex,  and  partly  for  a  more  creditable  reason,  she 
decided  to  prove  the  matter  to  the  bottom. 

"  Mr.  Westland  never  mentioned  such  a  thing  as  that  to 
me,"  she  replied.  "  He  would  not  think  of  it,  I  am  sure, 
and  if  he  had  I  should  not  have  listened.  My  informa- 
tion comes  from  another  source,  which  you  must  not  ask 
me  to  reveal.  Now,  a  woman's  question  is  naturally 
this  :     Why  do  you  not  marry  the  one  you  love  ?" 

"  Nathalie  !"  cried  Ralpli,  unguardedly,  for  he  no  longer 
doubted  that  she  knew  his  entire  secret.  ''  Marry  her  ! 
That's  not  the  sort  of  girl  that  people  marry.  I  think 
you  must  be  ioking,  cousin.  Nathalie  is  pretty  and 
bright,  and  she  was  good  enough  till  she  came  to  me, 
but— she  is  uneducated,  and— oh  !  of  course  she'd  never 
do  for  a  wife  !  How  would  you  like  me  to  bring  her  to> 
nail  on  you  ;  or  take  you  out  riding  in  the  same  carriage  ? 
More  than  that,  I'd  have  to  marry  some  woman  who 
had  money  of  her  own,  or  we  couldn't  live.  Did  you 
know  I'd  got  whittled  down  to  a  miserable  %\^o  a 
week  '" 


6Q  SPV.KKTSQ   OF   ELLEN. 

"  No,"  she  said.  "I  thought  you  had  nearly  double 
that.     How  did  it  happen  ?" 

"  Why,  those  confounded  strikers  at  Riverfall  !  A  lot 
of  the  stuff  Uncle  Laban  left  me  to  draw  on  was  in  the 
Great  Central  Corporation,  which  hasn't  paid  a  cent  of 
dividend  for  a  year,  and  may  never  again.  I'm  in  a  stew 
half  the  time.  I  only  wish  he  had  left  my  funds  in  real 
estate,  the  way  he  did  yours." 

Edna  listened  with  interest. 

"  When  he  died  the  Riverfall  stocks  paid  better  thaa 
the  real  estate,"  she  said,  with  a  business  air.  "  But, 
my  dear  Ralph,  throwing  aside  for  a  moment  the  moral 
questions  involved,  which  you  can  understand  as  well  as 
I,  are  you  not  a  reckless  and  extravagant  boy  to  under- 
take the  care  of  a  young  woman  when  you  confess  your 
inability  to  support  a  wife  ?  I  have  heard  that  such  con- 
nections are  usually  more  expensive  than  legitimate 
ones." 

It  struck  Ralph  for  the  first  time  that  they  were  get- 
ting into  rather  deep  water. 

"  I  think  we'll  change  the  subject,  if  you've  no  objec- 
tion," he  said.  "  I  have  asked  you  to  marry  me  and 
vou  have  refused,  so  I  have  no  choice  but  to  stick  to 
Nathalie." 

Miss  Melbourg  smiled,  and  placed  one  of  her  gloved 
hands  on  his. 

"  No,  we  will  not  change  the  subject  just  yet,"  she 
6aid.  "  I  am  not  preaching  to  you,  my  dear  cousin, 
ihough  no  doubt  I  ought.  I  am  only  talking  in  a  reason- 
able, business-like  way,  which  you  should  be  aole  to 
bear.  Now,  to  return  to  Nathalie.  You  say  she  was  a 
good  girl  until  she  met  you  ?"' 

"Yes." 

"  There  is  no  doubt  of  that  ?'* 


THE    WICKEDEST   MAN.  #7 

"  Not  the  slightest." 

"  And — with  the  exception  of  her  relations  with  you — 
you  believe  she  is  good  yet  ?" 

"  I  would  stake  my  life  on  it." 

"  Then  I  would  like  to  meet  her," 

Ralph  almost  stopped  the  horse  he  was  driving,  as  he 
heard  this  extraordinary  suggestion. 

"  You  !"  he  cried.  "  Do  you  know  what  you  are  say- 
ing?" 

"  Perfectly,"  she  responded.  "  There  are  leagues,  in 
my  estimation,  between  your  Nathalie  and  the  class 
usually  known  as  abandoned  women.  She  is  your  true 
wife  in  all  except  a  legal  ceremony.  I  fear  nothing  from 
contact  with  her,  for  I  know  a  girl  cannot  be  very  de- 
graded in  whose  society  my  cousin  Ralph  finds  such 
pleasure  that  he  wished  to  continue  in  it  even  after  his 
marriage  with  another.  Asa  tribute  to  conventionality, 
however,  I  will  not  ask  you  to  bring  her  to  my  rooms. 
I  will  go  to  hers." 

Ralph  thought  a  moment  before  he  spoke. 

"  Why  do  you  wish  to  meet  her  ?  I  tell  you,"  he 
added,  bridling,  she  is  an  awful  nice  girl  !  Only,"  he 
continued,  regretfully,  **  I  wish  she  wouldn't  spend  so 
much  money.  She  wouldn't  let  you  fill  her  up  with 
advice,  though.  Hang  it !  She  won't  take  that,  even 
from  me  !" 

Miss  Melbourg  hastened  to  reassure  him 

*'  I  promise  to  do  or  say  nothing  to  which  either  of  you 
can  object.  I  am  so  reasonable  in  my  desires,  Ralph, 
that  I  know  you  will  not  refuse  me." 

The  good-natured  fellow  instantly  responded  that  he 
had  no  obiection  if  Nathalie  was  willing,  but  that  he 
Still  thought  the  idea  a  peculiar  one.     So  it  was  settle^ 


<W  aPWAKINO   OF   ELLKW. 

that  if  the  little  Fren^  n  girl  gave  her  consent  he  was  to 
come  for  Edna  on  the  evening  of   the  following  day. 

Contrary  to  Ralph's  expectations,  Nathalie  was  de- 
lighted at  the  prospect  of  meeting  his  cousin,  when  he 
explained  the  situation  to  her  ;  and  when  Edna  arrived 
she  came  forward  in  a  dainty  evening  costume,  hardly 
less  interested  than  the  blind  girl  herself.  The  pretty 
flat  which  she  now  occupied  was  situated  in  Eleventh 
street,  not  far  from  Sixth  avenue,  and  its  furnishings 
had  gone  far  to  cause  that  depletion  in  his  finances  of 
which  Ralph  complained.  It  was  a  perfect  bijou  of  a 
place — the  rooms  hardly  averaging  above  twelve  feet 
square — and  so  filled  with  furniture  and  bric-a-brac  as  to 
seem  much  smaller  than  they  really  were.  Young 
Astorfelt  had  once  remarked  jocosely  that  it  would  not 
be  an  easy  matter  for  an  intoxicated  man  to  make  a  safe 
tour  of  those  apartments.  Ralph  piloted  Edna  through 
the  nearest  approach  to  a  channel  that  he  could  find,  and 
then  presented  the  two  young  ladies  to  each  other  with 
the  usual  formalities. 

"Miss  LaVerre,  my  cousin.  Miss  Melbourg." 

Edna  held  out  her  hand  frankly  and  Nathalie  took  it. 
Then  they  seated  themselves  together  on  a  tete-a-teie. 

"My  blindness  compels  me  to  use  methods  of  identi- 
fication which  may  seem  strange  to  you,"  said  Edna, 
"but  you  will  pardon  me,  I  am  sure.  May  I  touch 
your  face  with  my  fingers  .''" 

Nathalie,  whose  countenance  bore  an  expression  of 
mingled  amusement  and  sympathy,  gave  ready  permis- 
sion. Edna's  hand  was  then  passed  searchingly  over 
the  French  girl's  features,  and  afterwards  over  her  head 
and  neck.  The  investigation  was  so  thorough  that 
Nathalie's  smiles  deepened,  and  at  last  she  broke  into  an 


THE  WICKEDEST  MAH.  W 

audible  laugh.     It  was  a  musical  laugh,  however,  and 
not  displeasing  to  any  ears  that  heard  it. 

"  Do  you  object  to  this  ?"  said  the  blind  girl,  pausing 
in  her  occupation.     "  If  you  do — " 

'*  Oh,  not  at  all  !"  replied  Nathalie.  "  It  was  impolite 
in  me  to  laugh.  I  do  not  care  in  the  least,  only  it  seems 
so  queer.  Examine  me  all  you  please.  I  am  beginning 
to  rather  like  it." 

Edna  continued  slowly,  going  over  every  feature  a 
second  time,  and  making  the  most  minute  observations. 
Then  she  asked  Nathalie  to  stand,  so  that  she  could  get 
a  good  idea  of  her  height  and  size. 

"You  are  not  quite  as  tall  as  I,  but  you  are  a  little 
stouter,  and  must  weigh  about   the  same." 

She  placed  her  hands  on  the  rounded  arms,  and  spanned 
the  rather  full  waist. 

"You  are  five  feet  two  inches  tall,  and  you  weigh 
tbout  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds." 

"  One  hundred  and  twenty-four,  yesterday,"  said 
Nathalie.     "  Your  cousin  is  a  good  guesser,  Ralph." 

"  She  is  an  excellent  physiognomist,  too,"  he  answered 
"I  should  like  to  hear  her  opinion  of  you  from  thai 
itandpoint." 

*'  I  don't  know  what  yo  u  mean." 

*•  Why,  a  physiognomist,"  he  exclaimed,  mischievously, 
*is  one  who  judges  people's  character  and  disposition 
by  the  appearance  of  their  faces.  Tell  us  all  about  her 
cousin.     I  would  like  to  know  what  sort  of  girl  she  is." 

Nathalie  uttered  a  little  scream  of  disapproval. 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  know  you  could  do  that  !"  she  said  to 
Edna.  "  I — I  would  rather  you  wouldn't — if  you 
please  !" 

Her  evident  sincerity  and  i»er  comical  look  of  terror 


90  SPE^EIirO  OF  EJJUOf, 

forced  a  laugh  that  was  almost  a  yell  from  her  lover. 
She  frowned  on  him  with  severity. 

"  I  don't  think  that  is  nice,"  she  said,  majestically. 

Miss  Melbourg  came  to  her  assistance. 

"  I  shall  say  nothing  about  it,"  she  said,  "while  he  is 
Dresent.  When  we  are  alone  sometime  I  will  tell  you 
what  I  read  in  your  face,  if  you  would  like  to  have 
me." 

"  I  should  like  it  very  much,"  was  the  reply,  "  when 
that  man  " — here  she  glared  at  Ralph — "  is  away.  He 
makes  too  much  fun  of  me  now,  and  I  don't  want  any 
one  to  help  him." 

Ralph  took  this  broad  hint  and  soon  after  asked  to  be 
excused  for  a  short  time,  as  there  was  an  errand  which 
he  ought  to  do.  This  polite  fiction  was  accepted  at  its 
true  value.  When  the  door  closed  behind  him  Edna 
said: 

"  Now,  Miss  La  Verre — " 

"  Oh,  call  me  Nathalie  !"  cried  the  girL  **I  do  not 
ike  that  '  Mtis.'  " 

"  And  you  will  call  me  Edna  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  shall  be  glad  to." 

"  Well,  Nathalie,  what  do  you  think  I  came  here  for 
to-day  ?" 

The  French  girl  looked  curiously  at  her  companion, 
and  answered  without  hesitation; 

"  To  tell  me  I  am  very  wicked  ;  and  so  I  am.  I  know 
it  as  well  as  you.  I  was  brought  up  to  go  to  church  and 
confession,  and  to  read  the  catechism.  They  are  good 
things  to  do  and  I  believe  in  them  as  much  as  ever,  but 
they  are  so  hard!  It  was  not  pleasant  dressmaking  at 
four  dollars  a  week.  Then,  I  love  Ralph.  How  could 
I  leave  him  ?  Oh,  it  is  easy  to  talk  !  I  am  doing  no  one 
harm,  and  it  makes  me  very  hapoy." 


rSB   WICKEDEST    MAS,  71 

She  had  a  perceptible  Gallic  accent  that  3ent  a  charm 
to  her  speech,  and,  as  she  proceeded,  there  was  a  distinct 
tremor  to  her  musical  voice. 

"  No,"  responded  Edna,  taking  the  girl's  hand  in  he! 
own,  "  I  am  not  here  with  any  such  purpose.  "  If  I  had 
intended  to  advise  you  to  leave  Ralph  I  should  not  have 
secured  his  consent  to  come.  We  may  not  agree  tha* 
the  life  you  are  leading  is  a  proper  one,  but  I  will  say 
nothing  of  that  now.  This  is  what  I  wanted  to  tell  you  : 
You  may  sometime  be  in  great  need  of  a  friend.  You' 
know  where  Mr.  Westland's  office  is.  If  such  a  time- 
comes  go  there  without  hesitation  and  leave  a  note  for 
me.     He  will  see  that  I  receive  it  as  soon  as  possible." 

Nathalie  regarded  her  new  friend  with  complete  trust 

"You  are  very  kind,  madam,"  she  said,  "  but  what 
could  happen  to  me?" 

"  Who  can  tell  ?"  responded  Edna.  "  This  is  a  strange 
world.  Girls  who,  a  few  years  ago,  were  living  as  hap- 
pily as  you,  are  to-night  in  the  lowest  dens  of  New 
York,  I  would  not  like  to  have  anything  happen  to 
throw  you  among  their  number.  Not  that  I  think  any- 
thing will,"  she  added,  with  a  smile,  perceiving  with  her 
rare  intuition  that  the  girl  was  about  to  protest.  "But 
in  case  any  trouble  does  arise  a  friend  on  whom  you  can 
call  will  be  of  value.  There  are  also  other  dangers 
which  you  risk — shall  I  speak  candidly  ?  You  maybe- 
come  a  mother." 

The  French  girl  withdrew  her  hands  with  a  spasisiodic 
motion. 

"Oh,  I  hope  not!"  she  cried.  "Not  as  I  am  now  J 
And  if  I  were  really  married  nothing  would  make  me 
happier.  I  never  pass  a  child  in  the  street  that  I  do  not 
want  to  take  it  up  and  kiss  it  !" 

Mi<>s  Melbourg's  sightless  eyes  were  moist. 


n  JtrHA^fOKa  OF  BLLBN. 

""There  is  much  more  that  I  would  like  to  say  tC 
you,"  she  said,  "  but  not  to-day.  Do  not  forget  that  you 
have  made  me  a  promise.  And  now  I  will  tell  you  what 
I  find  in  your  face.  You  have  great  affection,  a  sunny 
disposition,  an  honest  mind  and  a  love  of  the  beautiful. 
Your  light-heartedness  may  lead  you  to  do  thoughtless 
things,  and  your  love  of  pretty  clothes  may  make  you 
extravagant,  but  you  would  sacrifice  much  in  an  emer- 
gency to  aid  one  you  cared  for." 

As  she  spoke,  Edna  passed  her  hands  again  over 
Nathalie's  features,  as  if  reading  one  of  those  books 
with  raised  letters  which  have  proved  such  a  boon  to 
the  blind.     And  so,  indeed,  she  was. 

**  Ralph  thinks  much  of  you,"  she  continued,  softly, 
**and  I  know  you  will  be  good  to  him." 

Young  Melbourg  soon  returned  and  shortly  afterward 
drove  his  cousin  back  to  her  Lexington  avenue  resi- 
dence. Neither  of  them  spoke  until  they  reached  their 
destination.  Then  Ralph,  who  ever  since  they  started 
had  been  trying  to  find  words,  remarked  : 

"  Well,  cousin,  how  do  you  like  her  ?" 

"  My  dear  Ralph,"  she  replied,  earnestly,  "  I  like  her 
very  much — I  like  you  both  very  much.  But — forgive 
me  for  saying  it — you  seem  to  me  at  this  moment  the 
wickedest  man  I  have  ever  known." 


CONVERSE     THE   ANARCHIST.  7S 

CHAPTER   VI. 

CONVERSE,    THE    ANARCHIST. 

Trouble  was  evidently  brewing  at  Riverfall.  Myi. 
terious  whisperings  were  going  the  rounds  among  th« 
employes  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation.  Secret 
meetings  were  held,  lasting  till  past  midnight.  Agent 
Baker  commented  upon  the  strange  fact  that  spinners 
and  weavers  who  grumbled  incessantly  at  the  "  long 
hours"  of  mill  work  could  sit  up  so  late  and  still  be  at 
their  posts  at  the  usual  time  each  morning.  But 
Agent  Baker  had  a  theory  that  mill-hands  would  grum- 
ble any  way.  When  the  pay  was  much  higher  than 
now  they  complained  with  almost  equal  energy.  They 
always  wanted  higher  wages,  or  fewer  hours,  or  some- 
thing else,  merely  because  it  was  their  nature  to  be  dis- 
satisfied. 

Even  the  Canadians  were  getting  to  be  as  bad  as  the 
others.  Nobody  asked  them  to  come  to  this  country, 
and,  if  they  didn't  like  the  style,  why  didn't  they  return 
to  the  Dominion  ?  Many  of  the  other  growlers  were 
English  and  Irish — people  who  never  saw  meat  in  their 
own  countries  except  at  Christmas  !  Did  any  one  ever 
hear  of  an  English  or  Irish  weaver  going  back?  Never. 
What  was  the  moral,  then  ?  Undoubtedly  these  people 
were  treated  better  in  America  than  they  ever  were 
before,  and  much  better  than  they  should  be.  So  said 
Agent  Baker,  as  many  good  and  wise  men  have  said 
before  him,  and  are  still  saying.  And  he  did  more  than 
say  it — he  thoroughly  believed  what  he  said. 

There  was  just  one  employe  of  the  Great  Central  Cor. 


74  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

poration  whom  Agent  Baker  considered  worth  his 
notice,  aside  from  the  natural  interest  he  might  feel  in 
all  the  necessary  adjuncts  to  the  mills  under  his  charge. 
This  employe  was  Ellen.  He  had  had  his  eye  on  Ellen 
for  a  long  time,  had  Agent  Baker.  He  came  to  the  mills 
earlier  many  a  morning  to  see  the  Marchioness  as  she 
entered  the  great  gate.  He  walked  through  one  partic- 
ular room  more  frequently  than  any  other  because  she 
was  there.  He  thought  her  a  very  foolish  girl  to  slave 
her  life  away  over  a  loom,  with  that  figure  of  hers.  He 
wondered  that  she  continued  year  after  year  to  bend  her 
handsome  neck  over  bobbins  and  shuttles.  There  were 
better  opportunities  for  a  girl  like  Ellen,  unless  Agent 
Baker  was  mistaken. 

And  still  he  was  not  likely  to  forget  a  certain  day, 
some  time  before  our  story  opens,  when  he  sent  for 
Ellen  to  come  to  his  private  office  on  a  pretended  errand 
in  connection  with  her  work.  On  that  occasion,  when 
he  finished  his  reference  to  the  point  at  issue,  he  asked 
her  in  his  most  winning  tones  why  a  girl  of  such  evi- 
dently superior  endowments  had  taken  up  a  class  of 
labor  for  which  much  less  intelligence  would  suffice.  As 
she  at  first  made  him  no  reply  he  mistook  her  silence, 
and,  growing  bolder,  alluded  to  her  beauty,  which  he 
said  would  adorn  a  mansion.  His  meaning  became  un- 
wiistakeable,  but  the  agitation  he  looked  for  did  not 
appear.  He  watched  her  cheek  narrowly,  and  not 
another  drop  of  blood  came  to  mantle  its  rich  color. 
Could  his  victory  have  been  won  so  easily  ?  Or,  horri- 
ble thought !  could  it  be  she  had  already  sunk  to  a 
point  where  his  words  awoke  no  shame  ?  She  did  not 
leave  him  long  in  doubt.  Rising  with  an  air  that  would 
not  have  been  unworthy  of   the  Great  Elizabeth,  she 


CONVERSE,    THE    ANAROUI*»'»'.  75 

looked  down  at  him  for  a  moment,  as  if  from  an  im- 
measurable  height. 

"  Sir,"  she  enunciated,  with  a  distinctness  that  was 
almost  painful,  "  you  are  incapable  of  understanding  me 
were  I  to  reply  to  you  in  the  terms  you  deserve.  I  leave 
you  my  pity  and  my  scorn  !" 

Agent  Baker  laughed  disagreeably  when  the  door 
closed  behind  her,  but  he  did  not  feel  quite  comforta- 
ble. He  had  talked  with  "  mill-girls"  before,  and  his 
assistance  had  transplanted  several  of  his  employes 
from  the  garrets  of  Riverfall  to  more  commodious  quar- 
ters in  New  York,  where  he  had  frequent  occasion  to  go 
on  business.  He  had  seen  "  mill-girls"  before,  but  noth- 
ing exactly  like  this. 

"  Ellen  has  been  reading  novels,  I  guess,"  he  said  to 
himself,  "  and  has  got  hold  of  a  lot  of  high-flown  lan- 
guage.    She  will  think  better  of  it  by-and-by." 

The  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  did  not  mention  this 
occurrence  to  any  one — not  even  to  Hugh — and.  though 
many  noticed  the  increased  haughtiness  with  which  she 
invariably  treated  the  agent,  none  suspected  its  full  sig- 
nificance. The  spinners  and  weavers  had  come  to  regard 
Ellen  so  highly  that  the  idea  of  any  one,  even  the  cor- 
poration agent,  making  improper  insinuations  to  her 
would  have  been  received  with  incredulity.  To  the 
working  people  of  Riverfall  Ellen  was  more  than  a  com- 
panion and  friend,  she  was  their  Queen.  Her  simple 
word  would  quite  suffice  at  any  moment  to  stop  every 
corporation  wheel.  When  a  dispute  arose  between 
employer  and  employed,  the  question  first  asked  was, 

What  does  Ellen  say  ?" 

Agent  Baker  did  not  realize  the  extent  of  the  "mill- 
girl's"  influence,  nor  of  the  affection  with  which  she  was 
regarded.     He  did  not  know,  what  was  the  undoubted 


76  3PEAKINO   OF  ELLEN„ 

fact,  that  even  his  life  would  have  been  in  imminent 
danger  had  she  related  to  some  of  her  followers  all  he 
had  said  to  her.  He  looked  down  upon  the  "mill-hands  " 
with  that  contempt  too  often  shown  by  Capital  toward 
the  ladder  on  which  it  has  climbed  to  opulence.  He  saw 
that  Ellen  had  beauty  and  intelligence.  He  would  have 
possessed  himself  of  her,  if  he  could,  used  her  for  a  play- 
thing till  he  grew  tired  of  her,  and  then  thrown  her  aside, 
as  he  had  others.  The  world  was  made  for  mill-agents 
and  directors,  according  to  the  theory  of  Agent  Baker. 

Mr.  Baker  had  amassed  a  comfortable  fortune,  the 
greater  part  of  which  was  invested  in  the  mills  over 
which  he  presided.  Ashe  had  told  the  directors,  he  was 
ready  to  resign  his  position  should  there  be  another 
general  strike.  Many  stockholders — as  is  the  custom  ot 
the  class — had  criticised  his  management  when  thej' 
found  their  dividends  cut  off,  and  he  was  quite  willing 
to  give  up  the  reins  at  any  time.  Westland,  who  repre- 
sented large  interests  as  trustee,  was  considered  his  nat- 
ural successor,  if  he  would  consent  to  take  the  place 
Some  of  the  directors  thought  a  change  of  agents  migh: 
discourage  the  intending  strikers.  The  "  hands  "  knew 
Baker,  and  realized  that  he  was  entirely  soulless  as  far  as 
the  making  of  money  was  concerned.  But  Westland's 
utterances  had  spread  like  wildfire.  His  assertion  that 
he  would  close  the  mills  for  a  year,  were  he  agent  when 
another  strike  occurred — "  till  the  grass  grew  in  the 
streets,"  as  some  quoted  it — had  made  a  deep  impression. 
It  was  one  thing  to  go  out  of  a  mill  into  which  they 
could  return  at  pleasure,  and  quite  another  to  abandon 
their  work  for  a  twelve-month.  These  facts  were  known 
to  the  directors,  and  they  began  to  demand  that  West- 
land  accept  the  position  at  once,  in  order  if  possible  to 


CONVERSE.    THE   ANAJBt^HIST.  77 

secure  the  inauguration  of    the  cut  down  wlhnut  any 
suspension  of  labor. 

Though  much  interested  in  the  arguments  he  had 
heard  from  Ellen  and  Hugh,  Westland  never  wavered 
in  the  least  in  his  line  of  action.  Me  still  believed  that 
duty  to  his  wards  demanded  that  all  his  efforts  be  di- 
rected to  settling  the  labor  question  at  Riverfall  in  a 
way  to  best  serve  the  interests  of  the  stockholders.  All  of 
his  business  training  had  led  him  into  one  way  of  look- 
ing at  such  matters.  He  may  almost  be  said  to  have 
inherited  his  views,  for  his  father  had  been  a  life-long 
trustee  before  him.  He  did  not  desire  the  agency  of  the 
Great  Central  mills  on  account  of  the  salary  attached, 
though  it  was  a  handsome  one.  His  only  object  was  to 
protect  his  clients  and  others  of  their  class,  and  he  had 
an  idea  that  a  rigorous  policy  would  b^'.st  subserve  the 
purpose  in  the  long  run.  It  seemed  to  birr,  that  a 
Waterloo  had  best  be  fought,  at  whatever  cost,  rather 
than  an  interminable  series  of  skirmishes. 

Before  deciding  whether  to  accept  the  p-f.posal  of  the 
directors,  be  determined  to  ascertain  if  the*-  were  of  his 
own  mind  in  this  matter.  At  one  of  their  Tieetings  he 
put  the  question  squarely  before  them.  If  he  took  the 
management  of  their  property,  would  they  stand  to  his 
£>ack  if  it  became  necessary  to  stop  all  business  for  an 
indefinite  time  1  Without  a  dissenting  voice  thiiv  prom- 
sed  all  he  asked.  Then,  and  not  till  then,  <\\'l  he 
accept.  Agent  Baker's  resignation  was  receiv<>i  and 
Agent  Westland  was  elected  in  his  place. 

The  first  official  act  of  the  new  agent  was  to  post,  oon- 
'jpicuously  a  statement  of  the  revised  list  of  prices  which 
were  to  rule  on  and  after  November  ist.  Groups  of  mtu 
women  and  children  gathered  that  night  about  xhasc 
!?<>sters  and  read  them  through  to  the  closmtr  words,  **  Bf 


78  SPEAKING   OP   ELLEN. 

order  of  the  Directors,  Philip  Westland,  Agent.  *  There 
were  sad  looks  on  most  of  the  faces,  but  here  and  there 
a  flashing  eye  or  a  set  mouth  betokened  other  thoughts. 
At  eight  o'clock  Ellen,  Hugh  and  the  other  leaders  of  the 
workpeople,  met  in  private  council  to  discuss  the  situa- 
tion. 

"  We  shall  have  your  friend  Westland  to  fight,  it  seems," 
said  William  Converse,  one  of  the  head  spinners,  to  Hugh, 
as  he  entered  the  conference  room. 

"  And  my  '  friend  Westland,'  too,"  remarked  Ellen, 
quickly,  noticing  the  inflection  that  Converse  had  put 
jpon  the  word  "  friend." 

"We  shall  soon  see  how  friendly  he  is  to  any  of  us  !" 
the  man  retorted,  "  If  all  I  hear  of  him  is  true,  he  could 
be  no  friend  of  mine  !" 

His  manner,  though  very  earnest,  was  perfectly  re- 
spectful. 

"We  can  hardly  restrict  our  personal  friendships  to 
those  who  agree  with  us  on  all  questions,"  responded 
Ellen.  "  I  have  met  Mr.  Westland  several  times,  and  I 
consider  him  a  gentleman.  As  far  as  he  is  a  representa- 
tive of  Capital,  we  may  and  doubtless  shall  disagree.  It 
is  likely  that  he  will  try  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  men 
whose  selfishness  weds  them  to  an  odious  system.  In  this 
attempt  he  will  be  very  firm.  We  must  meet  him  with 
equal  firmness,  but  I  think  we  can  depend  on  being 
treated  with  perfect  courtesy." 

Converse  stamped  his  foot  impatiently.  He  was  a 
Manchester  [Eng.]  man  who  had  been  born  and  bred  id 
the  atmosphere  of  the  mills.  The  universal  regard  foi 
Ellen's  presence  rested  lighter  on  him  than  on  any  of  the 
others.  At  times  he  found  it  impossible  to  resist  an  out- 
break of  feeling.    He  was  practically  an  anarchist  in  s^^ 


OOirSTKESE,   THE   ANAKOHIST.  T0 

dment,  and  thought  Ellen's  patient  methods  a  poor 
weapon  with  which  to  fight  so  great  an  enemy. 

"  Courtesy !"  he  repeated,  with  ill-concealed  scorn. 
**  It  is  not  courtesy  we  want  from  these  fine  gentlemen. 
but  justice  !  Soft  words  will  buy  us  no  bread.  A  man 
who  acts  as  the  tool  of  the  rich  stockholders  who  hav* 
voted  to  cut  the  wages  of  our  girls  from  $5  to  $4.25  a 
week  is  a  monster  of  whom  the  world  would  well  be  rid. 
To  you  he  may  seem  a  friend,  but  to  me  he  is  a  deadly 
enemy,  and  if  the  right  time  comes  I  shall  treat  him  as 
such  !" 

There  was  a  slight  ripple  of  applause  in  the  room.  It 
was  a  peculiar  collection  of  faces.  Poverty  and  hard 
work  had  written  indellible  lines  on  most  of  them. 
Ellen  and  Hugh  were,  perhaps,  the  only  exceptions. 
Nearly  all  wore  the  clothes  in  which  they  came  from  the 
mill,  but  two  or  three  had  made  a  slight  attempt  to  im- 
prove their  appearance.  As  it  was  in  the  middle  of  the 
week,  unshaven  chins  were  the  rule,  Sunday  being  the 
only  time  when  most  of  them  indulged  in  the  luxury  of 
a  razor.  Ellen  was  the  only  woman  present,  and  among 
that  odd  crowd  of  men  her  intelligent,  handsome  coun- 
tenance looked  strangely  out  of  place. 

"We  all  know  the  object  of  this  meeting,"  she  said, 
quietly,  rapping  with  a  lead  pencil  on  the  table  at  which 
she  had  seated  herself.  "You  have  seen  the  posters 
announcing  the  rates  that  the  corporation  proposes  to 
adopt  November  ist.  I  think  a  small  committee  should 
be  delegated  to  see  if  we  can  get  this  cut-down  re- 
scinded." 

A  growl  from  the  Manchester  man  interrupted  the 
speaker. 

"  Have  you  any  suggestion  ?"  she  said,  turning  ,owardi 
him. 


60  SPEAKING   OF   EIXE» 

"  Much  good  your  committee  will  do  J"  he  snarled 
"We  sent  one  last  year,  when  we  had  the  other  trouble, 
and  it  only  wasted  time.  My  advice  is,  strike,  and  have 
done  with  it  !" 

A  mnrmur  of  hoarse  voices  endorsed  the  sentiment 
"That's  it."  "Let  us  strike  at  once."  "A  committee 
will  do  no  good,"  and  similar  expressions  were  heard. 

"  I  agree  with  you  that  it  will  not  be  likely  to  have  a 
favorable  result,"  responded  Ellen,  "  but  it  will  have  a 
moral  effect  on  the  public,  and  put  us  in  a  better  con- 
dition to  win  their  sympathy." 

Converse  gave  a  defiant  snort. 

*'  I  tell  you  we  have  had  enough  of  that  sort  of  thing  !" 
he  cried.  "The  public  !  What  did  the  public  ever  do 
for  us?  We  must  teach  these  mill-owners  a  lesson  they 
will  never  forget.  They  worship  but  one  god — wealth. 
Let  us  walk  in  a  body  out  of  the  mills.  Let  us  give 
them  a  week  to  restore  the  old  schedule — a  schedule 
shamefully  low  before  this  reduction.  If  they  remain 
deaf  to  reason,  I  want  to  see  every  edifice  they  own  in 
ashes  ;  and,  if  that  will  not  do,  a  few  of  the  owners  lying 
dead  among  the  ruins  !  Public  sympathy  !  Committee 
of  conference !  Bah  !  Fire  and  blood  is  what  we  want 
— and  the  sooner  we  have  it  the  better  !" 

Not  a  ripple  disturbed  the  placidity  of  Ellen's  face 
during  the  delivery  of  this  impassioned  speech.  She 
marked  the  fiery  eye  of  the  Englishman,  the  scowl,  the 
upraised  arm,  the  fist  that  struck  the  table  almost  hard 
enough  to  break  it.  Then,  without  comment,  she  named 
the  members  of  the  committee — Mayfield,  Converse,  and 
a  spinner  named  McNamara.  But  the  Englishman  re- 
fused in  the  most  positive  manner  to  serve. 

•*  I  will  undertake  any  reasonable  errand  in  this  busi- 
ness," he   said,  "  but  I   could    neither  listen   nor   talk 


/ 


OONTKBBE,   THE  JLNAKOHIST.  81 

patiently  to  these  blood-suckers.  If  you  make  it  an 
order,  Ellen,  of  course  I  must  go,  but  you  will  not  do 
that.  Put  yourself  on  in  my  place.  If  any  good  can  bo 
•Jone,  you  would  be  worth  a  hundred  like  me." 

A  general  acclamatory  expression  was  heard  in  favor 
of  the  last  proposition,  and  Ellen  consented  to  it  reluc- 
tantly. The  next  hour  was  taken  up  in  an  informal  dis- 
cussion of  the  general  subject  at  issue,  at  the  end  of 
which  Ellen  dismissed  the  meeting.  As  all  rose  to 
depart,  she  gave  Converse  a  silent  signal  to  remaia 
When  the  door  had  closed  behind  the  last  one  of  those 
who  were  going,  she  drew  the  bolt  and  turned  imper- 
iously to  her  sole  companion.  He  had  the  ugly  look 
still  on  his  face.  She  walked  toward  him,  and  stood  foi 
a  moment,  silent,  with  folded  arms, 

"  How  long  must  I  tell  you  the  same  things,  day  after 
day?"  she  queried.  "Have  you  no  memory  whatever  ? 
Now,  here  is  your  very  last  warning.  If  you  again  break 
forth  in  the  way  you  did  to-night  I  shall  decree  your 
dismissal  from  the  council.  I  have  no  use  for  incendi- 
aries and  murderers !" 

Converse  did  not  quai!  before  her.  His  reply  wat 
terribly  in  earnest  : 

"■  They  can  kill  us!  They  can  burn  our  hearts  out  with 
ill-paid  toil  t  That  is  all  right — but  we,  we  can  do  noth- 
ing !" 

Ellen  did  not  relax  her  sternness  as  she  answered  ; 

**  You  speak  like  a  child — like  a  very  angry  child,  who 
has  no  thought  higher  than  that  of  revenge  on  one  who 
nas  injured  him.  We  have  something  of  greater 
moment  to  accomplish,  and  must  proceed  with  wisdom, 
not  foolhardiness.  Do  I  not  know  our  wrongs  as  well  as 
you  ?  They  are  branded  into  my  inmost  soul  !  I  have 
criven  my  life  to  studying  the  remedy  ;  and  I  tell  you, 


82  SPEAKOTQ  OF  JaJ.^BK. 

rash  msn,  that  cutting  throats  and  firing  buildings  wii\ 
only  keep  us  the  longer  from  the  end  we  seek  !" 

"And  so  we  must  continue  to  bow  the  knee!"  he 
answered,  bitterly.  "  We  must  still  beg  for  what  we 
should  demand  !  We  must  hear  their  talk  about  pei 
cents,  and  dividends  and  market  prices,  and  all  that  fol- 
de-rol  !  What  revolution  was  ever  accomplished  by 
sr.ch  methods  ?  Had  you  lived  in  1773  you  would  have 
spared  the  tea  that  the  Americans  threw  into  Boston 
Harbor  !  In  '93  you  would  have  held  up  your  hands  in 
horror  at  the  sweetest  sight  of  all  the  ages — the  stream 
of  aristocratic  blood  that  flowed  in  the  Place  Louis  XV! 
In  '59  you  would  have  cried  "  fanatic  !"  to  good  John 
Brown,  whose  glorious  folly  unshackled  the  limbs  of 
millions  !  Ellen,  you  are  wrong  !  It  is  my  privilege — 
nay,  my  duty — to  tell  you  of  it  here,  when  we  are  alone, 
I  tried  to  curb  my  tongue  in  the  assembly,  but  this 
poison  rankles  in  my  blood  too  deeply.  I  was  born  to  be 
a  man,  and  these  mill-owners  have  made  me  a  thing! 
For  sixty-three  hours  of  hard  labor  I  now  receive  eight 
dollars  ;  they  mean  to  reduce  it  to  less  then  seven  !  I 
am  a  single  man — they  have  denied  me  wife  and  chil- 
dren— and  I  could  support  life  on  that  sum.  But  when 
I  see  the  others — the  women  and  the  little  ones  who  are 
forced  into  the  spinning  and  weaving  rooms,  toiling 
beyond  their  strength — my  endurance  gives  out,  and  I 
could  throttle  one  of  their  oppressors  with  as  little  com- 
punction as  I  would  a  wolf  who  had  ravaged  my  sheep- 
fold  !" 

"  You  lack  patience — "  Ellen  began  ;  but  he  inter- 
rupted. 

"Patience!  How  long  must  I  be  patient?  I  have 
worked  in  mills  for  tv/enty  years.  My  father  worked  in 
them  before  me.     My  mother— I  heard  it  from  the  othet 


oomrRBSB^  THE  ASABcaitn.  dS 

women — hurried  home  during  my  first  months  of  life  to 
nurse  me  in  the  half  hour  allotted  her  at  noon,  hardly 
having  time  or  strength  left  to  eat  a  mouthful  of  the 
coarse  mid-day  meal !  She  died  early,  killed  by  the 
owners  of  that  English  mill,  who  rode  in  their  carriages 
and  lived  like  princes  !  Patience  !  A  few  sharp  knives, 
a  handful  of  powder,  a  bunch  of  matches,  or  a  pound  of 
dynamite  may  influence  such  men,  but  patience — 
never!" 

Ellen  did  not  move  an  inch  from  where  she  stood 
during  this  harangue.  At  times  the  rounded  arms  which 
were  interlocked  across  her  breast  seemed  to  press  more 
tightly  upon  each  other,  and  her  full  lips  shut  so  closely 
that  the  rich  color  left  them,  but  she  gave  no  other  sign. 

"If  you  have  finished,  you  may  go,"  she  said,  with 
unabated  severity.  "  When  you  feel  that  you  must 
make  such  speeches  as  this,  seek  me  out  and  ask  a  pri- 
vate audience.  But  if  you  again  utter  such  sentiments 
at  a  meeting  of  the  council — or  among  your  fellow 
workmen — you  will  be  dealt  with  !  I  have  been  chosen 
your  leader.  I  did  not  ask  nor  desire  the  position,  but 
having  accepted  it,  I  will  be  obeyed  I" 

The  Englishman  drew  the  back  of  his  hand  across  hii 
forehead,  to  clear  it  of  perspiration. 

"  Relieve  me  of  my  duty  at  the  council,  then,"  he  said. 
**  I  cannot  refrain  from  speaking  when  I  hear  the  things 
you  say." 

"  You  can  and  you  shall  !"  replied  the  woman,  firmly. 
*  I  want  you  and  you  must  remain.  You  must  learn  to 
curb  your  feelings.  I  will  give  you  one  more  trial,  li 
you  succeed,  I  shall  have  much  for  you  to  do.  If  not^ 
you  know  the  penalty." 

The  irascible  man  hesitated  a  moment  to  take  th# 
baad  which  Ellen  held  out  to  hioL 


84  ePRAKIXO  0¥  ^CLLEB. 

**  What !"  she  o-ried.    "  Do  you  pause  at  the  formtila  ** 

He  leaned  over  the  hand  and  touched  it  with  his  lip& 
Then  he  began  slowly  : 

*'  As  I  regard  and  respect — " 

"Ah  !"  she  exclaimed,  impatiently. 

**  The — commands — " 

She  tried  to  withdraw  the  hand  from  him,  but  he  held 
it  fast  and  added,  quickly  : 

"  Of  the  owner  of  this  hand — may  my  comrades  regctrd  ana 
respect  me.     As — / — " 

She  snatched  the  hand  from  him. 

"  You  need  not  finish  a  pledge,"  she  si^'d,  severely^ 
**  that  comes  with  such  evident  reluctance.  I  will  have 
none  but  willing  followers." 

"  Oh,  :^llen  !"  he  cried,  in  tones  of  unmistakeable 
meaning  "Why  will  you  always  misjudge  me!  Yot 
have  no  f  llower  who  values  his  life  less  than  I  !  Words 
are  empty  things,  but  deeds  will  tell !  When  I  am  only 
impetuous  you  treat  me  as  if  I  were  a  mutineer  !  I  yield 
to  no  man  or  womc  tn  my  devotion  to  you,  and  I  will 
try  hard  to  g"  e  you  lo  further  offence.  Let  me — oh ! 
let  me — finiih  the  obhgction  !" 

She  grudgingly  allowed  him  to  take  the  hand  again^ 
and  he  proceeded  : 

**  As  I  support  my  comrades,  under  her  direction,  so  may 
they  support  me.  My  liberty  or  my  life  shall  be  at  her  pleas- 
ure if  I  fail  in  any  respect  in  my  duty" 

The  acrimoniousness  had  all  disappeared  from  his  tone 
and  manner.  He  uttered  the  words  with  the  devout 
appreciation  of  a  Roman  Catholic  at  the  Christian  altar. 

"Your  vow  is  accepted,"  said  Ellen,  solemnly  evi- 
dently as  a  part  of  the  same  strange  ceremony. 

Then  they  proceeded  to  the  door  together,  Converse 
extinguishing  the  soiicary  liffht 


OONTEBSE,    THE    AKABOHOT.  8i 

•  You  have  little  faith  in  me,"  he  said,  sadly,  as  they 
passed  out. 

*'  No,  "  she  answered.  '*  I  am  sorry  to  say  it,  bul 
henceforth  it  rests  with  you  to  strengthen  that  taitb 
Good-night." 

"  Good-night." 

Hugh  Mayfield  was  waiting  at  the  comer,  as  Ellen 
knew  he  would  be,  and  the  two  friends  strolled  togethei 
toward  her  home. 

"  You  are  unhappy,"  said  Hugh,  after  waiting  some 
time  to  allow  her  to  speak  first.  "  Is  it  because  of 
Converse  ?" 

She  turned  her  beautiful  eyes  upon  her  companion. 

"No,  Hugh,  it  is  because  of  myself.  I  have  need  of 
Strength,  He  talked  of  knives  and  dynamite,  as  he  has 
done  before." 

"  And  you  argued  with  him  upon  his  folly,  as  you 
have  always  done  ?" 

*'  Yes  ;  I  argued.  I  forbade  him  on  the  severest  pen. 
alty  ever  speaking  so  again  in  open  meeting.  But  that 
is  not  my  worst  trouble,  Hugh.  I  not  only  heard  his 
suggestions — /  listened  to  them  !" 

The  young  man  started  as  he  perceived  the  deep 
meaning  which  Ellen  gave  to  these  words. 

"  You  are  nervous  to-night,"  he  said.  "  You  do  not 
mean  that  you  embraced  his  theories.  No,  I  am  sure 
you  did  not  do  that  !" 

Ellen  drew  closer  the  arm   she  had  passed  through 
Mayfield's. 

'■^  I  listened  to  him — a  thing  I  never  did  before!  His 
mother  worked  in  a  Manchester  mill,  and  jhe  used  to  go 
without  her  dinner  in  order  to  nurse  him.  She  died 
when  he  was  a  very  little  boy.  You  know  how  he  talks 
^rhen  he  is  excited.     Well,  he  talked  worse  than  evei 


86  SPSAKDRJ  OF   EIXEH; 

and  I — I  listened.     Oh,  Hugh  !     Could  you  not  pray  ion 
me  to-night?     I  need  it  very  much." 

He  tried  to  laugh  off  her  nervousness  with  an  attempt 
at  wit,  saying  he  never  prayed  and  never  should  unti 
he  saw  some  evidence  that  God  intended  to  reform. 

"  Don't !"  she  whispered,  looking  up  at  the  star-lit  sky 
in  a  startled  way  "  God  cannot  utterly  have  forgotten 
us.  I  know  it  sometimes  seems  as  if  he  had,  but  it  can- 
not be." 

"The  capitalists  have  built  him  a  lot  of  fine  churches 
lately,"  said  Hugh,  ironically,  "  and  thus  diverted  his 
attention  from  poorer  folks  for  awhile.  I  saw  a  state- 
ment the  other  day  that  Mr.  Million,  whose  money  is  all 
invested  in  mill-stocks,  had  given  $100,000  toward  an  ele- 
gant house  of  worship  in  New  York.  *  Generous  man  f 
cried  the  newspapers,  like  a  parcel  of  parrots.  I'd  like 
to  get  the  Almighty's  ear  just  one  minute,  to  tell  him 
that  you  and  I,  and  old  McNamara,  and  the  widow  Ran- 
som's little  invalid  Maggie  helped  to  earn  that  money, 
and  that  Mr.  Million  never  contributed  one  cent  of 
it !" 

Ellen  seemed  too  wrapped  in  thought  to  answer,  and 
after  a  brief  silence  he  added,  "  When  are  we  to  go  to 
meet  Mr.  Westland  ?" 

"  Mr.  Westland  !"  repeated  Ellen,  in  a  tone  so  loud 
as  to  astonish  her  companion. 

"  Why,  yes.     He  is  the  agent  now,  you  know." 

"  So  he  is,"  she  said,  slowly.  "  I  had  forgotten.  I 
will  set  the  time  to-morrow." 

The  operatives  in  her  room  at  the  mill  remarked  the 
next  day  that  there  was  an  extra  paleness  on  the  face  of 
':he  marchioness,  and  an  extra  calmness,  too ;  but  they 
did  not  know  the  reason. 


A   BRBS8MAS£K*S     APFSKNTICB.  87 

CHAPTER  VII. 
A  dressmaker's  apprentice. 

Of  course  Ralph  told  Westland  of  the  non-success  of 
nis  attempt  to  secure  the  hand  of  his  cousin,  Miss  Edna 
Melbourg.  There  was  very  little  indeed  that  he  did  not 
tell  his  ex-guardian  and  present  trustee.  He  related  the 
full  particulars  of  the  conversation  that  they  had  in  their 
ride  out  toward  Harlem,  and  all  about  the  visit  that  Edna 
afterwards  took  to  Nathalie. 

The  little  French  girl,  he  told  Philip,  had  been  much 
impressed  by  the  affair,  and  had  even  gone  the  next  day 
to  a  Jesuit  father  for  confession  and  absolution  ;  but  as 
the  latter  depended  on  a  promise  to  abandon  her  lover 
she  came  home  without  it.  The  outward  forms  of  her 
faith  had  always  been  observed  by  the  girl.  On  a  Friday 
she  would  have  swallowed  arsenic  as  soon  as  meat,  and 
on  certain  saints'  days  she  never  missed  attendance  at 
„he  church  services.  She  nearly  broke  with  Ralph  one 
night  when  he  ridiculed  her  because  she  persisted  in 
counting  her  beads  longer  than  usual  before  coming  to 
bed.  She  had  two  or  three  images  and  a  small  crucifix, 
which  money  could  not  have  bought.  When  Ralph  taxed 
her  with  inconsistency,  she  retorted  that  such  a  criticism 
came  with  poor  grace  from  a  heretic  who  had  never  knelt 
lo  the  Virgin,  nor  partaken  of  a  single  communion.  All 
of  these  things  he  told  to  Westland,  who  laughed  at  them, 
not  because  he  cared  particularly,  one  way  or  the  other, 
but  because  it  was  his  normal  condition  to  be  good- 
natured. 

"So  Edna  refused  you,"  he   smiled.     "I  very   much 


8S  SPEAKING   OP    ELLKBf. 

fear  you  did  not  use  due  tact  in  coming  to  the  point 
Asking  a  woman  in  marriage  is  very  much  like  buying  ij 
piece  of  real  estate,  I  imagine,  I  have  heard,  too,  it 
seems  to  me,  that  they  do  not  always  say  what  they  mean. 
You  had  best  wait  awhile  and  try  again." 

"Oh,  Edna  meant  it  fast  enough,"  he  replied.  "But 
Ihat  is  not  the  worst  of  it.  I  don't  want  her  any  more 
than  she  wants  me.  I  got  a  little  dazzled  at  the  thirty- 
thousand-a-year,  but  the  minute  I  got  my  foot  in  it  I  was 
isorry.  If  she  had  accepted  me,  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  have  done  !  " 

This  announcement  amused  Westland  more  than  any- 
thing that  had  preceded  it.  Ralph  had  such  a  helpless 
look  as  he  recounted  his  narrow  escape,  that  the  trustee 
laughed  aloud. 

"  You  are  good  for  the  blues,  my  boy,"  he  said.  *'  I 
think  I  must  get  you  to  go  down  to  Riverfall  with  me  for 
a  week  or  two.  There  is  going  to  be  a  great  upheaval 
there,  I  expect,  and  I  shall  need  some  one  to  keep  me  in 
spirits.  I  am  living  all  alone  in  the  big  agency  building, 
with  no  one  to  speak  to  except  the  corporation  servants. 
During  business  hours  I  find  it  all  right,  but  the  even 
mgs  are  lonesome.     Say,  Ralph,  will  you  come  ?'* 

The  young  man  hesitated. 

"Could  I—" 

"  No,  of  course  not,"  said  his  friend,  guessing  without 
much  difficulty  the  question  he  was  about  to  ask.  "  What 
could  you  do  with  a  girl  like  Nathalie  in  Riverfall  ?  Take 
her  to  the  Agency  ?  That  would  look  well,  wouldn't  it ! 
Board  her  out  ?  The  whole  village  would  be  talking  in 
twenty-four  hours,  and  the  'White  Caps  *  might  visit  you. 
Can't  you  leave  your  sweetheart,  just  for  a  few  days  ? " 

Ralph  looked  lugubrious. 

**  Oh,  yes,  I  ^an"  h#(said.     **  I  don't  like  to,  though.    It 


A  drersmakek's   apprentice.  89 

must  be  deuced  dull  in  Riverfall,  and  Nathalie  would 
lielp  out  wonderfully  " 

"It  won't   be  so  dull  when   the  strike  begins,"  replied 

Westland.     "On    the  contrary,    it   may    be    too    d d 

Hveiy.  I  think  the  biggest  struggle  ever  known  in  this 
country  is  just  ahead  of  us.  The  operatives  are  led  by  a 
young  woman  of  superior  capabilities,  whom  they  will 
obey  like  a  regiment  of  soldiers.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
directors  have  given  me  full  powers,  and  I  shall  use 
them." 

The  young  man  listened  with  awakening  interest. 

"  If  there  is  to  be  a  row  I  certainly  wish  to  see  it,** 
said  he.  "But,  an  idea  has  just  struck  me.  If  these 
people  are  so  thoroughly  under  the  control  of  this 
woman,  isn't  there  an  easier  way  than  a  shut-down  ? 
Wouldn't  it  be  cheaper  to  pay  her  to  give  her  followers 
a  little  sensible  advice?  That  has  been  worked  success- 
fully elsewhere." 

"You  never  have  seen  Ellen,  or  you  would  not  suggest 
that,"  was  the  serious  answer.  "  I  would  as  soon  think 
of  trying  to  bribe  St.  Peter  to  let  me  pass  the  gates  of 
Heaven.  She  has  an  object  higher  than  mere  personal 
gain.  Mistaken  as  she  undoubtedly  is,  her  earnestness 
admits  of  no  question.  She  and  a  committee  of  the 
*  mill-hands'  are  to  meet  me  to-morrow  evening.  You 
would  find  it  worth  your  while  to  be  there.'* 

Ralph  thought  a  moment 

"I  could  run  down  for  a  couple  of  days,  at  any  rate," 
said  he,  "  and  then,  if  necessary,  I  could  return.  I'll  go 
and  see  what  Nathalie  says." 

Nathalie  sat  at  one  of  the  windows  in  her  little  suite  of 
apartments,  idly  drumming  on  the  pane  with  her  fingers. 
When  Ralph  entered  the  room  she  did  not  move  or  turn 
li«r  head  ;  but  when  he  crept  softly  to  her  side  and  laid 


09  8PKAKING    OF    ELLEW. 

his  cheek  to  hers  she  threw  her  arms,  with  an  impulsiv* 
motion,  about  his  neck.  Then,  as  if  betrayed  into  too 
deep  an  expression  of  affection,  she  drew  back  a  little, 
and  surveyed  his  face  with  a  very  pretty  frown. 

"Where  have  you  been  so  long?  You  told  me  you 
would  stay  but  a  few  minutes." 

''  Long  ! "  echoed  her  admirer,  taking  out  his  watch. 
"  It  is  exactly  three  hours  since  I  left  this  room.  Are 
you  not  able  to  spare  me  for  three  hours  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  But  you  said  a  *  few  minutes ',"  she  pouted. 
"  If  you  had  said  *  three  hours '  I  should  have  known 
what  to  expect." 

He  smiled  into  her  face. 

"  And  so  you  want  the  exact  truth,  do  you  ?  Well, 
listen  to  me.  To-morrow  I  am  going  away  for  two 
whole  weeks  !" 

She  started  violently,  and  then  sat  blinking  at  him 
with  a  dazed  expression.  Presently  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears. 

"  You  do  not  mean  it  !  "  she  gasped.  "  Where  could 
you  go  for  two  whole  weeks  ?  There  is  no  place  that  it 
takes  two  weeks  to  go  to.  I  must  go  with  you,  wherever 
it  is.     Two — weeks  !  " 

He  was  so  pleased  at  the  evidence  that  she  cared  so 
dearly  for  him  that  he  could  hardly  contain  himself.  It 
is  pleasant  to  be  loved  very  much  indeed,  when  one  is 
twenty-two. 

"  It  is  only  a  little  way,"  said  he,  "  only  to  Riverfall, 
but  you  cannot  come.  I  am  invited  to  Mr.  Westland's 
house — the  mill  Agency — and  there  is  no  place  for  little 
girls  like  you." 

Then  he  tried  to  make  her  understand  all  about  the 
impending  strike  and  his  desire  to  please  "  Phil  ;  "  alsoj. 


A   DSESSMAKEB^R    APPRS^mOB.  91 

low  impossible  it  was  that  she  could  become  a  member 
)f  the  party.     But  the  girl  refused  to  be  reconciled. 

"  How  can  you  men  pretend  to  love  us  and  yet  use  us 
is  you  do  ?  "  she  cried.  "We  are  good  enough  to  kiss 
dmi  hug  ;  we  can  be  petted  and  called  pretty  names 
w^hen  it  suits  you  ;  but  if  we  want  to  go  to  any  place 
Adhere  people  will  see  us,  *Oh,  no  !  that  is  impossible  !' 
(  am  tired  of  it !  I  would  rather  go  back  to  Mme. 
Meliere's  and  sew  on  dresses.  If  you  go  for  two  weeks 
you  may  as  well  say  '  Good-by.'  You  will  not  find  me 
here  when  you  return." 

Ralph  had  heard  similar  threats  so  often  that  he  did 
not  place  too  much  reliance  upon  them,  but  the  possi- 
bility that  they  might  some  day  be  carried  out  gave  him 
a  certain  alarm.  He  did  not  know  what  he  could  do 
without  Nathalie.  She  seemed  as  much  a  part  of  his 
existence  as  his  eyes  or  his  hands.  He  did  wish  her 
more  reasonable,  but  he  preferred  her  with  all  her  whims 
to  the  awful  vacancy  that  her  absence  would  create. 
He  began  to  say  that  he  would  give  up  the  proposed 
trip,  if  it  was  so  distasteful  to  her.  To  this  she  made 
answer  that  he  could  do  as  he  liked  ;  that  it  made  no 
difference  to  her  whatever ;  that  she  was  tired  of  a  lover 
who  always  wanted  to  leave  her;  and  that  he  might  as 
well  go  now  and  have  done  with  it. 

In  this  strain  the  French  girl  talked  until  she  had 
Ralph  half  distracted. 

"  I  wish  you  would  not  say  such  silly  things!  "  he  ex- 
claimed.     "  You  know  nothing  can  ever  part  us!  " 

"  I  am  not  saying  silly  things,"  was  her  answer,  and  a 
determined  look  came  to  the  pretty  mouth.  "You  may 
go  to  Riverfall — of  course  you  have  a  right  to  go  wher- 
ever you  olease — but  you  will  not  find  me  here  when  yo'i 


93  BPEAKING    OF    ELL8N. 

return.  Go!  I  do  not  want  you  any  more.  I  am  very 
tJred  of  you!  " 

She  went  to  the  bed,  threw  herself  upon  it,  and  hid  het 
face  in  the  pillow.  At  this,  Ralph  began  to  get  angry, 
too.  He  spoke  to  her  several  times  and,  when  she  would 
not  answer,  cried,  dramatically,  "  Good-by,  then;  I'm  gCK 
ing,  Nathalie! "  put  on  his  hat  and  left  the  house. 

The  French  girl  heard  his  steps  as  he  passed  down  the 
Staircase.  She  lifted  her  head  and  laughed  quietly.  It 
was  so  jolly  to  make  him  cross  !  He  always  brought 
home  a  new  bracelet  or  ring  to  make  up  with.  The  farce 
had  been  enacted  twenty  times  before,  with  substantially 
the  same  ending  in  each  case.  She  went  to  a  window 
and  peeped  out  of  a  corner  of  a  curtain  upon  the  street. 
There  he  was,  walking  away  as  if  he  never  meant  to  re- 
turn, without  one  backward  look.  The  dear  fellow — how 
she  loved  him!  When  he  came  in,  she  would  redouble 
her  caresses.  He  ought  to  have  known  she  was  only  in 
fun.     Leave  Ralph!     It  was  inconceivable! 

She  looked  at  him  again.  He  was  turning  a  corner  and 
walked  like  a  man  who  had  made  up  his  mind. 

Mon  Dieu!     If  he  could  have  believed  her  in  earnest! 

Soon  the  girl  crouched  on  the  floor  beside  the  window 
and  began  to  cry.  It  was  cruel  of  Ralph  to  treat  her  so, 
when  she  had  been  so  good  and  kind  to  him  !  She 
thought  of  her  life  at  Mme.  Meliere's — the  plain  food  with 
ordinaire  at  dinner,  the  hard  bed  in  the  attic.  It  all 
seemed  well  enough  at  the  time,  but  she  did  not  like  the 
idea  of  going  back  to  it.  No,  she  would  not  go  there 
She  would  accept  any  work,  no  matter  how  poor,  before 
she  would  let  those  girls  laugh  at  her. 

An  hour  passed,  and  still  she  crouched  by  the  window 
Then  a  knock  was  heard  at  the  door. 

**Come  in!  "  she  called,  without  rising. 


A   DBBSRXAnB'B    ▲PPREBTTIOB.  9St 

The  door  opened  and  a  young  woman  in  elegant  attire 
entered.  It  was  the  sweetheart  of  young  Astorfelt,  Miss 
Annie  May.  Nathalie  had  worked  herself  into  such  a 
state  that  even  the  pride  she  would  ordinarily  have  felt 
before  this  crushing  creature  did  not  come  to  her  rescue. 

"  Why,  Nathalie,  what  is  the  matter?" 

The  French  girl  began  to  cry  again. 

*'  He's  left  me!  "  she  blubbered. 

"Left  you!"  cried  Annie  May.  "Again!  Kow  many 
times  this  month  does  it  make  ?  What  an  awful  baby 
you  are!  Say,  get  up  and  tell  me  how  you  like  my  new 
dress.  Stunning,  don't  you  think  so?"  She  posed  be- 
fore a  long  mirror,  turning  in  every  direction  to  get  the 
oest  effects.  "Cost  two  hundred  dollars.  I  saw  the  bill. 
Is  it  too  short  in  Iront?  Sometimes  I  think  it  is  and 
sometimes  I  can't  tell  for  sure.  Of  course  I  want  to  show 
my  low  shoes  and  robin's  eggs.  How's  that  for  a  trail  ? 
I  got  out  at  Twenty-seventh  street  and  walked  by  the  Sl 
James  and  Hoffman,  just  to  see  the  dudes  stare!  Ha, 
ha!  It  was  better  than  a  circus!  "  She  turned  about 
again,  pressing  the  dress-skirt  closer  to  her  limbs.  "  I 
believe  it  is  a  little  too  short,  even  for  the  street." 

Nathalie  rose  to  her  knees  and  took  a  critical  observa- 
tion. 

**  No,  Annie ;  it's  just  right  I  wouldn't  alter  ;t  an 
inch." 

"I'm  awful  glad!"  cried  Annie  May,  much  relieved. 
"You  were  a  dressmaker's  girl,  you  know,  and  your  judg- 
ment ought  to  be  good  in  such  matters.  J  never  can  tell 
about  a  dress,  but  if  it  was  a  bonnet  I  wouldn't  have  to 
ask  anybody.  I  trimmed  for  two  years — only,  for  good- 
ness' sake  !  don't  mention  it  before  Astorfelt — he  would 
fall  dead!  He  is  always  talking  of  'low  people  who 
vork  for  a  living.'     I  rather  think  he  imagines  I  left  a 


9%  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

palace  to   live  with   him.     He   makes  me   sick  t     Does 
Ralph  ever  talk  that  way  ?" 

Nathalie  had  risen  to  her  feet.  In  her  friend's  flow  of 
language  she  had  for  the  moment  forgotten  her  troubles. 
Thus  reminded  of  them  her  tears  broke  out  afresh. 

"  I  know  he'll  never  come  back  !"  she  sobbed.  "  It  was 
not  like  any  of  the  other  times.  I  was  cross  and  wouldn't 
speak  to  him  and  he  just  said  'Good-by '  and  went.  No, 
he  never  talked  high  about  the  poor.  He  knew  all  about 
the  place  where  I  used  to  work.  We  met  in  a  cafe  con- 
cert. Oh,  he's  been  so  good  to  me,  and  now  I'll  nevei 
see  him  again  !" 

Annie  May's  only  reply  to  these  sentences,  which  came 
jerkily  from  a  quivering  mouth,  was  to  laugh  boister- 
ously. 

"  Well,  you  are  the  worst  baby  !"  she  said  good-humor- 
edly.  "One  would  think  Ralph  was  the  only  man  in 
the  world,  to  hear  you  run  on.  Now,  only  yesterday,  As- 
torfelt  told  me  his  friend  Vanderschmidt,  who  is  just  out 
of  college,  was  looking  for  a  girl.  He  is  richer  than  mud 
and  will  give  her  everything  she  wants  and  a  iiundred 
dollars  a  week  of  spending  money  beside.  He  wants 
something  young.     How  old  are  you  ?" 

"  Seventeen,"  sobbed  Nathalie. 

"Just  his  figure.  Now,  dry  your  eyes,  put  on  youi 
best  clothes,  get  into  my  carriage  and  I  will  take  you  to 
see  him.  I'll  wager  he'll  give  you  double  what  you  gel 
from  Ralph." 

Annie  May  glanced  with  careless  contempt  around  the 
apartment.  Women  of  her  class,  as  used  the  former 
slaves  of  the  Southern  states,  often  reckoa  their  own  sta- 
tion by  that  of  their  masters. 

"Come."  she  continued,  as  the  girl  did  not  move. 
"  Are  you  going  ?     You'll  never  get  a  better  chance      He 


A   I»B8SMAKKB^S     APPRENTICE.  95 

15  Stylish,  handsome,  pleasant  and  rich.  You  and  I  will 
have  lots  of  fun  together.  We  will  get  taken  to  the  the- 
atre  every  evening  and  to  a  wine  supper  afterwards. 
We'll  ride  behind  the  best  horses  that  pass  the  park 
^ates.     We'll  clean  out  Tiffany's.     We'll — " 

She  paused  ;  for  Nathalie,  far  from  going  into  raptures 
at  the  glowing  description  of  the  delights  ia  store  for 
her,  had  opened  a  little  medallion  that  hung  from  a 
chain  about  her  neck  and  seemed  lost  in  contemplation 
of  the  picture  that  adorned  its  interior.  Suddenly  she 
lifted  it  to  her  lips  and  kissed  it  lovingly. 

"  No,  Ralph,"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone,  more  to  herself 
than  her  companion,  "  I  shall  never  love  any  man  but 
vou.  This  picture  *' — here  she  looked  up — "  is  worth  more 
lo  me  than  all  the  rich  lovers  in  the  world  !" 

Annie  May  laughed  louder  than  before. 

**  My  dear,"  she  said,  "  that's  not  professional.  It  would 
be  worth  a  great  deal  in  its  proper  place,  but  it's  wasted 
on  me.  Get  your  things  on.  I  will  assist  you.  1  wanf 
you  to  catch  Vanderschmidt  before  some  other  beauty 
has  a  chance.  Of  course,  if  you  don't  like  him,  or  if  you 
can't  agree  on  terms,  you  needn't  stay." 

Nathalie  kissed  the  picture  again. 

**I  am  not  fooling,  Annie.  I  do  not  want  him.  All 
my  love  now  is  in  this  little  picture." 

She  kissed  it  again  and  her  friend  began  to  believe  she 
meant  it. 

"If  Ralph  does  not  come  back,  what  good  will  that 
picture  do  you  ?"  asked  she,  mockingly.  "Will  it  buy  you 
a  dinner  or  settle  your  laundry  bill  ?" 

A  look  came  into  Nathalie's  face  that  neither  Annie 
May  nor  any  one  else  ever  saw  there  before. 

"Listen,"  she  said  softly.  "Ralph  is  the  only  lover  I 
have  ever  had.     If  he  returns  I  will  be  very  good  to  him 


9*6  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

If  he  does  not.  no  man  shall  take  his  plac<_.  1  shall  go  to 
work.  Yes,  you  may  laugh  all  you  please.  I  am  not  a 
good  girl  ;  I  know  that ;  but  I  cannot  go  from  lover  to 
lover.  Ralph's  money  was  not  what  tempted  me  here. 
I  loved  him  the  moment  I  saw  him  coming  into  the  door- 
way of  that  Bowery  cafe.  I  aid  not  tell  him  so — we  can- 
not tell  men  such  things — they  would  soon  become  un- 
bearable. When  he  asked  me  to  live  with  him  I  coul/ 
not  refuse.  If  he  had  not  been  worth  a  dollar  it  would 
have  been  the  same." 

Annie  May  pursed  up  her  mouth  with  an  eji-pression 
that  might  have  meant  almost  anything. 

"You  are  a  little  fool,"  she  said,  kindly,  "but  how 
should  you  know  any  better?  Go  and  try  your  work 
again  and  see  how  it  pleases  you.  Put  on  rough  shoes 
and  a  calico  dress  and  prick  your  fingers  with  needles. 
Don't  forget,  though,  to  pack  your  good  clothes  and 
jewelry  where  you  can  reach  them  easily,  for  the  pawn- 
shop will  have  them,  one  by  one.  When  you  are  tired  of 
it,  if  you  have  any  good  looks  left,  come  to  me  and  I  will 
find  you  a  market.  Not  a  Vanderschmidt — you  will  be 
past  that — but  some  old  Dutch  grocer  or  English  brewer. 
To-day  you  are  as  pretty  as  a  fairy  and  you  have  refused 
the  greatest  chance  in  New  York.  Seventeen  !  I  would 
give  anything  to  be  seventeen.  With  your  baby  ways  I 
would  make  my  fortune.  I  am  twenty-three  !  Oh,  they 
never  worship  us  after  our  teens  are  past  !  Come  here 
and  let  me  kiss  you." 

Nathalie  submitted  to  the  embrace,  with  unchanged 
gravity  of  countenance. 

"Are  you  still  decided?"  asked  Annie  May.  "You 
will  not  let  me  take  you  to  the  handsome  young  mi^ljoo 
aire  ?" 


'  Well,  jECood-by  '' 

**  Good-by," 

Nathalie  when  she  was  alone,  he^n  to  ;)9c}!:  thinisrs 
nto  her  trunk.  She  had  so  many  things  ana  the  trunks 
filled  up  so  fast !  Every  article  she  touched  suggested 
the  lover  who  had  left  her.  Tears  fell  slowly  as  s'he  pro- 
ceeded. She  held  one  pair  of  slippers  in  her  hand  foi 
several  minutes.  They  had  long  since  been  discarded 
for  newer  ones,  but  she  would  n  t  have  sold  them  for 
iheir  weight  in  gold.  They  were  the  first  pair  he  ever 
bought  her.  She  remembered  the  evening  he  tried  them 
on — it  was  the  second  night  after  she  came — and  the 
shoemaker's  boy  had  to  run  back  three  times  before  he 
got  a  pair  small  enough 

"  Such  a  bab5'''s  foot  !'*  he  had  exclaimed,  kissing  tne 
tinted  stocking.  And  now  the  baby  feet  were  going 
away   from  him  ! 

Every  dress  had  its  histor}'^,  each  piece  of  jewelry  could 
tell  its  little  story  if  it  but  had  a  tongue.  Some  he  had 
scolded  about  buying,  but  he  said  so  many  things  no 
one  could  tell  how  much  he  meant.  She  recalled  how 
jross  he  looked  once  at  a  bill  of  $225  for  lingerie,  and 
his  subsequent  assertion  that  one  filmy  chemise  which 
she  displayed  upon  her  lovely  person  was  worth  more 
than  the  entire  sum.  She  folded  that  in  with  the  rest. 
r«Ione  of  these  garments  were  suitable  for  the  sphere 
from  whence  she  came  and  to  which  she  was  about  to 
return. 

There  was  a  servant  who  kept  the  rooms  in  order. 
More  than  one  was  not  needed  in  a  family  whose  only 
meal  at  home  was  the  French  rolls  and  coffee  served  in 
bed  at  eight  or  nine  in  the  morning.  Marie  had  gone 
out  for  the  day  and  Nathalie  was  glad  uf  it.  The  trunks 
could  be  taken  away  before  she  returned  and  that  wculd 


I?8  SPEAKING    OP    ELLBH, 

be  better  than  explanations.  The  landlord  would  kno-vv 
where  to  get  his  rent  and  Marie  was  always  paid  far  in 
advance.  Her  demands  for  money  were  endless  ;  the 
visits  of  a  very  tall  policeman  and  her  want  of  funds 
being  strikingly  contemporaneous. 

Nathalie  worked  away,  until  at  last  every  article  that 
could  be  jammed  into  her  trunks  had  been  packed. 
Then  she  prepared  herself  for  the  street,  so  as  to  notify 
an  expressman.  But  where  should  she  send  them  ?  Unti- 
now  she  had  not  thought  of  that. 

As  she  debated  the  important  question  of  her  nex» 
domicile  she  thought  of  Ralph's  blind  cousin,  the  lady 
who  had  called  and  talked  to  her  so  nicely.  *'  If  you  are 
ever  in  trouble  come  to  me,"  she  had  said.  Yes,  she 
would  leave  a  note  at  Mr.  Westland's  office,  as  the  lady 
had  advised  her. 

She  took  out  her  writing  materials  and  indited  the  fol- 
lowing note.  She  wrote  a  fairly  good  hand,  but  her 
orthography  was  a  little  peculiar. 

"Deer  Ladie : 

*'  You  arsked  me  to  rite  you  in  case  i  was  in  trubble.> 
I  have  fell  out  with  Ralf  and   want  sura   good  plais  to 
work.     Do  you  no  of  ennything  i  could  do  ,''     I  will  work 
hard  and  be  good.     I  want  know  more  luvvers. 

"  Nathalie. 
"Leev   yure  anser  at  Mr.  Westland's  and   i  will  call 
for  it." 

She  read  the  note  over  carefully,  placed  it  in  an  envel- 
ope, and  then  tried  again  to  decide  where  she  had  best 
go  till  she  could  find  work.  She  opened  the  medallion 
and  looked  longingly  at  the  picture.  So  absorbed  was 
she  in  this  occupation  that  she  did  not  hear  the  dooi 


A    DRKSeMAKER'S     APPKE^-nOB.  99 

open  nor  realize  that  anothci  person  was  in  the  room 
until  she  felt  an  arm  stealing  around  her  neck.  Thor- 
oughly startled,  she  sprang  to  her  feet  with  a  scream. 
Then,  seeing  the  intruder  was  Ralph,  she  threw  liersel: 
into  his  arms,  crying  : 

*'  Oh,  how  you  frightened  me  !  I  thought  it  w:is  Mr 
Vanderschmidt !" 

"  Vanderschmidt !"  echoed  Ralph,  holding  her  away 
from  him  and  looking  very  dark,  "  You  were  g<"iing  to 
leave  me  for  him  !"  he  added,  as  his  eyes  fell  on  the  full 
trunks.  "  This  is  the  woman  I  have  been  breaking  mj 
heart  over  !" 

"  No,  no  !"  cried  the  girl,  clinging  to  him  hysterically. 
"I  thought  you  had  gone  for  good.  Annie  May  came 
and  tried  to  get  me  to  go  to  see  Mr.  Vanderschmidt,  but 
I  would  not.  She  said  he  would  give  me  all  the  money  I 
would  take,  but  I  did  not  want  him  !  I  have  bta^  so 
miserable  !      I  thought  I  should  never  see  you  again  !" 

Ralph  did  not  look  satisfied.  He  had  a  deep  suspicion 
that  the  girl  was  acting  a  part  and  until  he  had  m.)re  evi- 
dence on  the  subject  he  did  not  propose  to  rest  ontent 
with  her  mere  assertions.  As  he  thought  the  m.atter 
over,  his  eye  lit  on  the  letter  she  had  just  finished  and  he 
reached  over  and  took  it  in  his  hand. 

"Oh,  please  don't  read  that!"  she  cried,  trying  t'^take 
it  from  him. 

For  the  first  time  since  he  had  known  her,  he  pushed 
the  girl  aside  with  no  gentle  motion.  He  wanted  lo  see 
on  what  terms  she  had  sold  herself  to  his  rival.  He  tore 
open  the  envelope  and  devoured  the  missive,  but  it  was 
dll  Greek  to  him. 

-  Nathalie,"  he  said,  roughly,  taking  her  by  the  wrists, 
•*  what  does  this  mean  ?  To  whom  were  you  going  to 
*end  this  letter  ?" 


100  SPEAKING   OF   ELLSM. 

"To  your  cousin,"  she  answered,  weeping  at  his  vio 
ience,  no  less  than  at  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  again. 
"  She  made  me  promise  to  write,  if  I  was  ever  in  need  o< 
a  friend," 

He  released  her  and  read  the  note  again.  "  I  will  work 
hard  and  be  good.  I  want  know  more  luwers."  The 
words  sounded  honest.  He  turned  again  to  Nathalie,  who 
stood  with  her  eyes  still  brimming. 

"You  were  going  to  work  !" 

"Yes." 

"  At  what  ?" 

"Anything," 

"  And  you  preferred  that  to  living  with  Vanderschm&<it  t 
Why  ?" 

"I  don't  like  to  tell,"  she  stammered. 

"  But  you  must  tell." 

"  I— I  can't." 

"  You  must  !" 

"Well."  she  said,  slowly,  averting  her  eyes  and  placihtig 
one  of  her  tiny  hands  against  his  breast,  "it  was  be- 
cause— oh  !  I  wish  you  wouldn't  make  me  say  it ! — be- 
cause I — loved — ycu  /" 

If  it  was  acting,  it  was  marvellously  done,  he  thought ; 
better  than  Judic  or  Theo  or  Rehan.  In  a  second  more 
they  were  in  a  close  embrace. 

"And  you  thought  I  would  never  come  back   to  you  !" 

She  nodded  very  fast,  while  a  child's  smile  shone 
through  the  glistening  drops  in  her  eyes. 

"  How  could  I  do  that  ?"  he  said,  tenderly. 

"You  said  *  Good-by,'  "  she  whispered. 

"  But  you  were  provoking  I" 

She  held  up  her  mouth  for  him  to  kiss,  which  did  very 
well  for  an  answer  to  that. 

**rve  got  everything  fixe.d"  he  nned,  suddenly,  "and 


A    DRKSHMAKER  8     APPRKNTICB.  101 

yon  car:  go  to  Riverlall  !  Only  you  cannot  he  with  me, 
J  shall  live  at  the  Agency  with  Phil,  and  my  blind  cousin 
is  going,  too.  I  have  talked  it  all  over  with  her  this  af- 
ternoon and  we  have  arranged  a  fine  plan." 

The  girl's  face,  which  had  brightened  wonderfully  at 
his  first  words,  clouded  very  much  as  he  proceeded. 

"  Not  be  with  you  !     I  don't  understand." 

"You  have  long  wanted  to  be  useful,"  he  explained, 
"and  now  you  will  have  a  chance.  Your  best  things  are 
all  packed  away  and  you  will  leave  them  here  in  youi 
trunks.  Tomorrow  you  will  buy  a  lot  of  ordinary  clothes 
and  go  down  to  Riverfall  and  get  work  in  one  of  the  mills 
of  the  Great  Central  Corporation.  You  won't  get  much 
pay,  but  that  will  make  no  difference.  There  v.ill  be  a 
strike  there  within  a  month,  I  feel  sure.  You  will  strike 
with  the  rest  and,  in  fact,  fall  in  with  whatever  they  do. 
A  woman  they  call  Ellen  is  leader  of  the  whole  gang. 
Hire  a  room,  if  possible,  in  the  same  house  with  her  and 
get  her  confidence.  My  cousin  and  I  wish  to  know  all 
that  is  going  on,  as  it  may  be  of  much  service  to  Phil, 
who  I  believe  is  going  to  have  his  hands  full.  You  un- 
derstand? You  are  to  become  a  'mill-girl '  for  a  few 
weeks.  I  will  arrange  some  plan  of  communication,  so 
you  can  keep  me  posted.     Will  you  do  it  ?" 

Nathalie  was  in  the  mood  to  do  anything  to  please 
Ralph  and  readily  assented.  They  discussed  the  details 
until  a  late  hour  and  she  seemed  at  last  to  thoroughly 
comprehend  the  part  she  was  tc-  ■^lay. 

"  Don't  forget  yourself  for  a  moment,  or  you  are  lost !" 
was  his  final  adjuration.  "  You  will  be  likely  to  see  me 
often — in  the  mills  or  on  the  street — but  you  must  not 
bow  or  even  wink  at  me.  You  could  not  mistake  my 
writing.  Unless  I  send  you  word,  be  sure  you  do  nof 
budg"e 


102  WBAKIIfO    OF    ELLIM. 

**  And  after  tonight  I  sha'n't  get  a  kiss  for  weeks,  per. 
haps  ?"  said  Nathalie,  thoughtfully. 

"  No." 

**  Then  let's  make  the  most  of  the  time  we  have,"  she 
suggested,  archly. 

And  they  did. 


CHAPTER  VIII, 

THE  SLAVE  AND  THE  MASTER. 

"Instead  of  discussing  the  labor  question  with  you 
this  evening,  supposing  I  tell  you  a  story  ?" 

The  speaker  was  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall  and  the 
listener  was  Philip  Westland,  agent  of  the  Great  Central 
Corporation.  The  time  was  evening  and  the  place  the 
rooms  of  the  Marchioness,  in  the  corporation  lodging- 
house. 

Westland  nodded  gravely.  He  sat  so  near  the  Mar- 
chioness that  he  could  distinctly  perceive  the  effect  of  the 
magnetism  that  she  possessed,  apart  from  any  merely 
mental  experience.     They  were  alone.  ^ 

"  This  is  my  story,"  said  Ellen  : 


There  was  once  a  large  island,  owned  by  a  great  and 
beneficent  Proprietor,  ".s  surface  was  covered  with  am- 
ple fields,  forests  an^  vineyards.  Beneath  its  soil  was 
hidden  every  mineral  known  toman.  Countless  herds  of 
cattle  fed  in  its  broad  pastures.  Innumerable  fish  clove 
the  waters  of  its  pelucid  streams.  Fruits  grew  in  abun- 
dance in  a  thousand  orchards.  There  was  nothing  want' 
\ng  in  nature  to  make  it  an  earthly  paradise. 


THE   SLAVE    AND   THE   MASTER,  108 

A  traveller,  weak  and  helpless  with  his  journey, moored 
his  frail  bark  in  one  of  the  magnificent  harbors  which 
dotted  the  island's  shores.  He  was  faint  with  hunger 
and  his  form  was  destitute  of  even  the  merest  apologj' 
tor  raiment.  As  his  eyes  rested  upon  the  goodly  land  a 
smile  lit  up  his  wan  features.  "  Here  is  warmth,  food, 
rest  and  comfort !"  he  cried  as  he  stepped  upon  the 
shore.  As  he  left  it,  the  craft  in  which  he  had  made  his 
voyage  receded  from  him.  Like  himself  it  was  of  slender 
workmanship.  The  waves  soon  engulfed  it  and  he  saw 
it  no  more. 

Toiling  slowly  up  the  village  street,  the  traveler  came 
to  a  dwelling.  Everything  about  the  place  betokened 
wealth.  The  grounds  were  laid  out  in  exquisite  taste, 
and  evidently  under  the  eye  of  a  true  landscape  artist. 
The  lofty  portal  stood  invitingly  open.  A  glance  at  the 
spacious  hallway  showed  that  the  owner  was  a  man  of 
taste  as  well  as  means. 

The  stranger  confidently  made  his  way  to  the  door  of 
this  mansion  and  lifted  the  knocker  twice.  A  well- 
kept  servant  answered  the  summons,  but  drew  back  with 
unconcealed  aversion  when  h»  noted  the  poverty-stricken 
appearance  of  the  intruder.  "  How  dare  you  invade 
these  grounds  !"  he  cried,  threateningly.  "  Begone,  or  I 
will  call  the  dogs  and  set  them  on  you  I"  The  stranger's 
lip  trembled,  but  he  did  not  move.  "  Be  kind  enough  to 
tell  your  master  that  I  wish  to  speak  to  him,"  he  said. 
His  dignified  manner  awed  the  servant  into  compliance 
with  the  request,  though  it  did  not  convince  him  that  all 
was  as  it  should  be,  and,  muttering  his  indignation,  he 
departed. 

But  when  the  master  of  the  house  appeared  he  as- 
sumed an  expression  no  more  cordial  than  that  which 
his  servant  Kad  shown.     This  tlie  stranger  noticed,  but 


104  SPEAKING   OF    ELLEN. 

he  was  not  therefore  disheartened^  He  relied  upon  tha 
superior  quality  of  mind  which  a  master  should  possess 
over  a  servant,  and  proceeded  with  his  tale.  *'  Sir,"  he 
said,  "  I  am  a  voyager  to  this  island  from  a  place  far 
distant.  An  hour  ago  I  landed  upon  your  shores.  The 
frail  bark  in  which  I  sailed  broke  in  pieces  in  your 
harbor,  and  even  if  it  had  not  done  so  I  could  not  return 
whence  I  came,  knowing  not  the  way  thither  nor  having 
the  means  of  sustenance  on  my  journey.  I  am  reioiced 
to  find  you  here  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  My  wants  are 
few  and  I  pray  you  to  supply  them  out  of  your  abund- 
ance. When  I  have  eaten  and  drunk  and  been  given 
suitable  clothing,  of  which  you  will  observe  I  stand  in 
sore  need,  I  would  like  to  have  you  set  apart  for  me  a 
little  piece  of  ground  in  one  of  your  vast  meadows,  on 
which,  by  my  own  labor,  I  can  thenceforth  secure  my 
livelihood 

On  hearing  these  words  the  master  of  the  house  turned 
to  his  servant  in  great  alarm.  "  Hasten  to  call  the 
police  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  This  is  certainly  an  insane 
person,  who  should  be  apprehended  without  delay  !" 
When  the  servant  had  gone  in  search  of  the  officers  the 
traveller  said  to  the  master,  *'  I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  ac- 
count for  this  reception.  I  am  not  of  unsound  mind,  as 
my  quiet  demeanor  and  sensible  discourse  must  convince 
you.  I  have  committed  no  crime  and  know  not  of  any 
offence  for  which  I  can  be  imprisoned  by  the  authorities 
of  this  place,  unless  it  is  my  poverty,  and  for  that  I  surely 
cannot  be  blamed."  "  Poverty  !"  cried  the  master  of  the 
house.  "  Know  you  not  that  under  our  code  that  is  the 
chief  of  crimes  ?  If  you  confess  to  being  guilty  of  it,  the 
judges  will  make  short  work  of  you  !" 

At  this  juncture  the  island  police  arrived,  and  they 
haled  the  stranger  before  the  magistrates      On   hearing 


THE   SLAVE   AND    THE   MASTER.  JOi 

the  Statements  of  h*i?  accuser  the  judges  were  about  to 
order  sentence,  when  the  traveller  inquired  whether  he 
might  not  be  heard  in  his  own  defence.  To  triis  it  was 
answered  that  he  had  already  admitted  himself  guilty  of 
the  crime  alleged — an  admission  which  his  personal  ap- 
pearance made  almc^st  unnecessary — and  thetini-2  of  the 
court  was  too  valuable  to  be  wasted  in  useless  hare. ngues. 
After  consulting  among  themselves  they  decided,  how- 
ever, that  if  he  would  engage  to  be  brief,  they  would 
Usten  to  anything  he  had  to  offer  in  extenuation  of  his 
fault.  Thus  permitted,  he  asked  tliem  first  to  tell  him 
who  was  the  Lord  Proprietor  of  the  island  upon  which 
he  had  trespassed.  When  he  heard  the  name,  his  coun- 
tenance brightened  and  he  said,  "  B}^  what  right  do  you 
who  are  tenants  here  claim  possession?'*  The  judges 
told  him  they  were  all  of  kin  to  the  Proprietor.  "Then 
]  have  an  equal  right  here,"  he  cried,  joyfully,  "  for  I 
also  am  of  His  family!" 

But  the  magistrates,  wearied  with  his  persistency,  told 
him  sharply  that  kinship  to  the  Proprietor  was  not  the 
sole  requisite  to  possession  of  estates  on  the  island  ;  that 
all  the  land  had  been  taken  by  the  immigrants  who  first 
landed,  and  was  still  held  either  by  their  descendants  or 
by  other  persons  who  had  accumulated  wealth  and  pur- 
chased titles  from  them.  "  The  first  settlers,"  explained 
the  judges,  "  found  here  a  wild  people,  whom  they 
partly  exterminated  and  partly  drove  into  the  interior, 
after  which  they  divided  all  the  island  among  them- 
selves." "  And  these  wild  people,  were  they  not  of  kin 
to  our  great  Proprietor?"  asked  the  stranger.  "They 
claim  to  be  distantly  related,"  said  the  judges,  not  with- 
out confusion.  "  Then,"  said  the  traveller,  "  I  protest 
against  these  titles,  which  are,  by  your  own  confession, 
written  in  blood  with  the  points  of  daggers  on  parchmeni 


106  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

made  of  human  skin  !  I  have  as  good  a  right  to  the 
land  here  as  these  pretended  leaseholders,  and  I  demand 
that  my  share  be  allotted  me  !" 

The  magistrates  were  thrown  into  disorder  by  this 
proposal  and  they  consulted  together  for  some  moments. 
Then  one  of  the  oldest  of  their  number  stated  with  some 
severity  that  the  point  presented  by  the  prisoner  had 
been  raised  from  time  to  time  in  previous  years  and  had 
always  been  decided  adversely  by  the  island  courts.  The 
peace  and  harmony  of  the  residents  demanded  that  these 
rulings  should  still  be  maintained,  and  it  ill  became  a 
new-comer  who  brought  neither  gold  nor  goods  to  ques- 
tion the  established  customs  of  his  betters.  This  speech 
having  been  delivered  and  received  with  applause  by 
the  spectators  whom  curiosity  had  brought  to  the  court- 
room, the  magistrates  sentenced  the  prisoner  to  be  for 
an  indefinite  period  the  bond-servant  of  the  man  at 
whose  instance  he  had  been  arrested,  at  the  same  time 
warning  him  that  any  attempt  to  escape  the  servitude 
would  be  severely  punished. 

Grieved  at  what  he  considered  the  injustice  of  his  fate, 
but  at  a  loss  how  to  evade  it,  the  slave,  with  what  grace 
he  could  summon,  entered  the  service  of  his  master. 
Being  apt  and  intelligent,  he  soon  found  special  favor 
without  seeking  it,  and  his  tasks  were  limited  to  those 
of  the  more  agreeable  kind.  One  day  the  master,  who 
had  grown  to  have  a  great  liking  for  the  slave,  dis- 
coursed unto  him  in  this  fashion  : 

"Why  art  thou  discouraged  at  thy  lot,  O  slave!  It 
will  be  easy  for  thee  to  rise  above  it,  if  thou  wilt  only 
avail  thyself  of  the  opportunities  that  are  around  thee 
Thou  esteemest  me  one  of  the  favored  ones,  and  yet  my 
ancestors  were  not  of  the  first  comers  to  this  island.  My 
grandfather  came  like  thee   naked  and  hungry,  and  was 


TMB    8LAVB    AND   THE    MASTKS.  107 

tn  like  manner  sentenced  to  servitude  in  the  interest  of 
the  public  weal.  But  he  was  not  one  of  those  who  can 
be  long  cast  down,  and  he  early  sought  means  for  his 
fawful  deliverance.  He  soon  obtained  leave  to  labor 
beyond  the  hours  assigned  him.  He  lived  for  years  on 
the  coarsest  food  and  wore  the  plainest  raiment  that  he 
might  put  aside  the  meagre  sums  that  such  denial 
brought  him.  At  night  he  lay  on  a  pallet  of  straw. 
When  his  fellow  slaves  made  merry,  he  refused  all  invi- 
tations to  join  them.  When  they  had  their  weddings 
and  feastings  he  retired  to  his  garret  to  count  his  gold. 
Little  by  little  his  savings  increased.  When  he  had  a 
sufficient  surplus  he  lent  to  others  who  could  give  him 
good  security,  charging  the  very  highest  rates  of  inter- 
est. By  the  time  he  was  forty  years  old  he  could  no 
longer  be  called  poor.  He  had  purchased  his  freedom. 
Then  he  obtained  possession  of  a  tract  of  land  on  which 
he  had  lent  but  a  small  part  of  its  value.  The  previous 
holder  had  a  large  family,  the  care  and  education  of 
which  took  all  of  his  means  and  forced  him  to  relinquish 
his  rights.  On  this  land  my  grandfather  discovered  coal 
deposits  of  surprising  extent.  They  were  especially 
valuable  as  there  was  no  other  coal  mine  within  a  long 
distance.  A  severe  winter  came  on,  very  opportunely, 
for  thou  must  know  this  island  is  not  one  of  perpetual 
summer.  There  was  much  distress  among  the  indigen/. 
and  my  grandfather  found  that  he  could  get  four  times 
the  ordinary  price  for  his  fuel.  When  spring  returned 
he  was  a  rich  man,  and  could  hold  up  his  head  among 
any  of  his  neighbors.  He  was  subsequently  elected  to 
positions  of  honor,  and  one  of  the  most  aristocratic  of 
his  fellow  townsmen  gave  him  his  daughter's  hand  in 
marriage." 
Th«!  slave's  lip  curled  disdainfully  as  he  replied  ; 


108  3PKAKINO   OF    E'.i.KN. 

"it  seems  to  me  that  your  grandiather  was  ore  of  the 
greatest  villains  of  whom  I  have  ever  heard,  1  cannot 
conceive  a  malignity  which  could  induce  a  man  who  had 
himself  known  the  sting  of  poverty  to  become  such  an 
oppressor  of  his  unfortunate  neighbors.  Having  become 
comfortably  rich  it  should  have  been  his  greatest  delight 
to  give  the  coal,  which  cost  him  nothing,  freely  to  all 
who  needed  it.  How  could  he  sleep  at  night  for  think- 
ing how  grudgingly  these  poor  people  were  using  their 
fuel,  on  account  of  its  cost,  when  by  a  word  he  could 
heap  every  fireplace  high  with  warmth  and  gladness  ! 
Undoubtedly  women  sat  shivering  day  after  day  within 
wight  of  his  monster  coal  heaps  ;  little  children  died,  per- 
haps, for  lack  of  sufficient  heat  ;  aged  men's  days  may 
have  been  cut  short  because  of  the  severity  of  the  atmos- 
phere !  It  is  incredible  that  such  a  wretch  could  have 
been  elevated  to  office,  or  that  any  man  of  reputation 
could  have  consented  that  such  blood  should  be  mixed 
with  lis  !" 

The  master  heard  the  slave  with  patience  and  then 
answered  : 

"  Indeed  it  is  all  truth,  as  I  have  related  it  to  thee.  My 
grandfather  became  so  rich  from  his  coal  mine  (and  after- 
wards by  buying  up  all  the  flour  on  the  island  and  thus 
doubling  the  price  of  bread)  that  he  built  at  his  own  ex- 
pense the  beautiful  church  you  have  seen  in  the  centre  oi 
the  .■  wn,  besides  giving  a  large  sum  to  the  fund  for  send- 
ing missionaries  to  the  benighted  inhabitants  of  heathen 
lands.  When  he  died,  seven  ministers  assisted  at  the  ob- 
sequies. If  you  enter  the  church  which  he  built  you  will 
find  it  adorned  with  inscriptions  relating  to  his  munifi- 
cence and  piety.  His  son,  (my  father)  succeeded  to  his 
estate,  and  I  have  succeeded  to  him.  Thus  thou  seeist 
how,  through  the  business  ability  and  foresight  of  my 


THB   SLAVE   AND   THE   MASTEB,  109 

grandfather,  his  descendants  are  raised  above  the  nece» 
sity  of  toil,  and  may  continue  so,  if  they  choose,  lili  the 
end  of  time.  Merely  by  the  natural  course  of  accumu- 
latioa  our  property  will  increase  vastly  with  each  gene- 
ration. I  have  added  to  the  acres  possessed  by  my  father 
and  my  son,  I  trust,  will  add  as  much  more.  Thou  hast 
unusual  capabilities,  O  slave  !  It  is  for  thee  also  to  rise, 
if  thou  wilt  but  seek  the  means,  above  thy  serfdom  " 

Then    the  slave  rent  his    clothes    and  spu^  upon   th« 
earth  in  his  wrath. 

"May  my  right  arm  fall  lifeless  at  my  side  and  my 
nether  limbs  refuse  their  office,"  cried  he,  "if  ever  I  at- 
tempt to  climb  thus  to  ease  upon  the  necks  of  my  fellows  I 
Each  person  on  this  island  is  a  kinsman  of  the  Lord  Pro- 
prietor, who  will  surely  come  one  day  and  demand  an 
account  of  the  manner  ye  have  used  His  benefits  !  Here 
»s  abundance  of  all  things  that  men  need  ;  wherefore 
should  one  man  spread  himself  over  miles  of  temtory,  to 
the  exclusion  of  others  equally  deserving?  You  have 
counseled  me  to  habits  of  industry,  and  dwelt  upon  the 
merit  of  long  hours  of  toil  ;  but  it  is  evident  that  if 
each  person  did  his  proper  share  of  work  three  hours  a 
day  would  suffice  to  gather  the  products  of  nature  and 
weave  all  the  fabrics  of  commerce.  You  urge  me  to  be 
frugal ;  but  tne  prodigal  soil,  hardly  yet  touched  by  the 
husbandman,  laughs  at  your  niggardliness.  You  say  to 
me,  '  If  you  would  prosper  be  celibate  ;'  but  no  other 
creature  that  God  has  made  deigns  to  set  me  the  exam, 
pie.  Shall  all  the  moving  things  but  man  have  their- 
breakfasts  provided,  and  he,  their  proud  superior,  who 
arrogates  to  himself  all  rights,  here  and  hereafter,  suffer 
from  hunger?  Not  so,  O  my  master!  The  time  is  at 
hand  wh^n  Equity  shall  rule — when  Justice  shall  sit  on 
the  throne  long  occupied  by  F"raud — when  the  privileges 


XK»  SPKAKTNG    OF    ELLER. 

of  the  few  will  give  way  to  the  risfhts  of  the  many  1 
Prepare  for  that  day,  lest  you  perish  in  the  upheaval  that 
will  surely  come  !  " 

The  master  waxed  wroth  at  this  and  said,  "  Dost  thou 
threaten  me,  O  slave  !  Thou,  the  bondman  of  my  pos 
session  !  Severely  shalt  thine  insolence  be  requited  thee  !' 
At  that  he  summoned  certain  other  slaves — fellows  whose 
good-will  he  retained  by  feeding  and  clothing  them 
better  than  their  mates — and  at  his  bidding  they  bound 
ihe  presumptuous  man  and  cast  him  into  a  dungeon. 
But  his  words  had  been  overheard  and  his  doctrines 
spread  broadcast  among  the  people.  Plis  dungeon  was 
soon  filled  with  yet  other  slaves  who  had  rebelled  against 
their  task-masters.  One  night  a  thousand  of  them  rent 
their  chains,  overpowered  their  servile  guards  and  took 
possession  of  the  town.  The  oppressed  on  every  hand 
rallied  to  their  standard,  and  to-day  that  fair  island  is  the 
happy  and  equal  home  of  all  the  inhabitants  thereof. 
The  stranger  cast  upon  its  shores  is  welcomed.  He  is  al- 
lotted a  house  and  land  enough  to  sustain  him.  If  he  is 
weak,  he  is  cared  for  as  tenderly  as  a  brother.  In  return 
he  gives  of  his  labor  what  is  necessary  to  provide  his 
share  of  the  things  needed,  and  no  more.  Masters,  with 
leagues  of  woods  and  fields  that  they  could  never  use 
have  disappeared.  Slaves  have  disappeared,  too.  Com- 
mittees, chosen  by  popular  vote,  distribute  the  abundance 
of  the  land  to  all  alike.  No  one  is  naked,  no  one  is  hun- 
gry. No  man  hoards  bread  and  fuel  while  thousands 
starve  and  freeze.  And  the  Great  Proprietor,  when  He 
comes,  will  find  his  kinsmen  with  their  arms  about  each 
other's  necks  in  friendly  union,  where  or  :e  thev  either 
used  o-  bore  the  lash  and  gyves  ' 


•n  MAY   MEAN    MOTHE&aoOD."  Ill 

CHAPTER    IX 

•*  IT  MAY  MEAN  MOTHERHOO**" 

tt  was  a  strange  picture.     Philip  Westland,  the  mill- 
agent,  the  representative  of   Capital,  dressed  irreproach- 
ably, sitting  in  the  nill-girl's  scantily-furnished    room, 
turning  his  intellectual  face  toward  her,  and  listening  with 
the  most  marked  attention  to  every  word  of  her  allegory. 
Ellen,  in  her  calico  gown,  clothed  with  a  beauty  of  coun- 
tenance  seldom  seen  in  the  drawing-rooms  of  the  rich, 
motherless  by  death  and  fatherless  by  the  law,  reciting  her 
Story    in    an    impressive   manner,   bending    toward  her 
auditor  and  piercing  him  with  eyes  that  flashed  a  hun- 
dred lights  as  she  proceeded.     The  floor  of  the  chamber 
was  bare  with  the  exception  of   several  ordinary  mats, 
and  the  exceedingly  cheap  furniture  was  far  from  modern. 
The  cages  of  the  canaries  were  covered  with  old  news- 
papers, in  order  that  the  rays  of  the  common  kerosene 
lamp  might  not    disturb  their   little  occupants.     A  few 
starch  boxes  filled  with  flowers,  and  a  half  dozen  pictures 
tacked   to    the  walls    constituted  the   only    attempts  at 
ornament.     Yet    Philip  Westland    felt  a  charm    in  that 
place   for  which  he  could    give  no   satisfactory  reason. 
He  loved  to  hear  those  clear  tones,  to  feel  the  magnetic 
efifect  of  that    presence,  to  look    into  those  orbs  which 
gleamed  with  a  radiance  he  had  never  seen  before. 

They  could  not  well  have  been  farther  apart  in  social 
life— these  twain— but  each  found  in  the  other  an  unac- 
countable attraction.  When  Ellen  finished  her  story  he 
ivaitcd  a  little  while  before  breaking  the  silence  that  fell 
«pon    the  chamber.     There  was  a  pleasure  in  the  vcn 


112  iFEAKING    OF   SLLKH, 

Stillness  that  succeeded  the  reverberations  of  her  voice 
Sne  leaned  back  in  her  chair  and  rested  her  eyes  upon 
the  floon  There  was  no  attempt  to  apply  the  moral  ot 
the  tale.  If  it  had  made  any  impression  upon  him,  the 
effect  would  be  evident  in  time,  an4  Ellen  had  learned 
to  wait. 

"  Has  this  wonderful  island  a  geographical  location  ?" 
was  his  first  question. 

"Yes,"  she  answered.  "On  the  maps  it  is  called 
America." 

"  And  the  date  of  the  overturn — " 

"Already  it  has  begun.  Within  twenty  years  it  will  be 
substantially  complete." 

"  Indeed  !     And  the  strangers  who  arrive — " 

"  Are  from  the  vast  Unknown,"  she  said,  solemnly. 
*I  mind  me  of  one  who  floated  into  Riverfall  last  night. 
The  roof  that  shelters  it,  the  food  it  eats,  must  be  repaid 
with  slavery  by-and-by.  Poor  little  thing  !  It  did  not 
ask  to  be  brought  here,  and  it  cannot  return  whence  it 
came.  When  it  grows  older,  it  will  have  two  dismal 
choices  ;  either  to  toil  on  till  the  grave  receives  its  ex- 
hausted body,  or  rise  from  its  natural  condition  by  crush- 
ing numbers  of  other  slaves  yet  deeper  in  the  mire. 
Small  wonder  is  it  that  between  such  fearfi  I  alternatives 
so  many  take  the  latter.  Human  nature  is  weak.  The 
hard  conditions  under  which  we  live  blot  out  the  finer 
sentiments  and  transform  us  into  brutes.  I  have  heard 
that  in  the  South,  before  the  war,  manumitted  negroes 
often  bought  other  slaves  and  became  the  most  tyrannical 
of  masters.  Superintendents  who  passed  through  the 
greatest  privations  in  their  youth  are  notoriously  the 
hardest  upon  the  unfortunates  over  whom  they  are  placed 
i&  the  iB\U.s.     Prairie  wolves  matte  speedy   Danqueta  oc 


''*Xr  MAT  MBAB   MOTHESHOOD."  113 

their  disabled  brethren,   and  men  are  '»«ry  much   like 
them." 

He  listened  with  g^ve  attention. 

'*  Learned  men,"  he  said,  "  have  a  theorr  that  tht  con 
stant  struggle  which  has  been  going  on  for  the  rewards 
of  wealth  during  sixty  centuries  is  the  greatest  of  the 
factors  that  has  brought  our  race  out  of  barbarism  ;  that 
the  extreme  disagreeableness  of  poverty  has  induced 
mankind  to  attempt  its  escape  by  all  possible  means,  and 
that  the  world  has  thus  been  a  gainer  in  the  impetus  given 
to  the  sciences  and  arts.  There  is  also  a  law  of  nature 
that  has  been  named  the  *  survival  of  the  fittest.' " 

She  bent  her  eyes  upon  him  until  he  wondered  their 
fire  did  not  scorch  his  face 

"  Out  of  barbarism  !  "  she  repeated,  with  the  utmost 
accent  of  scorn.  "  Whom  has  it  brought  out  of  barbar- 
ism ?  It  has  given  ease  and  refinement  to  the  few,  but 
the  many  are  still  fighting  for  the  means  to  exist — fight- 
ing their  self-constituted  masters  and  their  unhappy 
fellow-sufferers,  in  the  madness  that  necessity  engenders ! 
Cast  your  glance  over  Riverfall.  You  will  see  a  dozen 
palaces  and  a  thousand  huts.  Where  one  person  knows 
the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  life,  a  hundred  are  familiar 
with  want.  Everywhere  you  will  find  the  same  thing — 
idleness  supported  by  industry,  non-producers  fed  by 
producers.  Who  are  'the  fittest?'  Does  any  man  dare 
say  /  am  inferior  in  natural  endowments  to  those  silly 
daughters  of  wealth  who  every  day  cover  me  with  the 
dust  of  their  carriages  as  I  walk  home  from  work  ? " 

He  hastened  to  reassure  her, 

"No,  Ellen, you  are  not ;  and  I  say  this  in  all  honesty, 
and  not  from  any  wish  to  flatter  you.  There  is  no  need 
olyour  remaining  in  this  sphere.  A  hundred  better  op- 
portuaities  are  before  you  if  you  will  take  them.     But  of 


114  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEW. 

the   mass  ot  the  workpeople  as  much  cannot  be  said 

They  are  fit  for  manual  labor,  and  nothing  else." 

She  did  not  take  her  eyes  from  him. 

"And  who  made  them  so?"  she  queried,  impressively. 
<*  Do  you  pretend  that  workpeople  are  a  separate  race 
from  their  employers,  and  incapable  of  improvement  ? 
Why,  the  workman  of  to-day  is  the  employer  of  to-morrow! 
The  son  of  the  employer  of  yesterday  is  the  workman  of 
to-day  !  Equitable  laws  would  do  away  with  these  in- 
tolerable differences.  If  I  possess  the  superior  qualities 
with  which  you  credit  me,  shall  I  therefore  desert  my 
less  fortunate  brothers,  and  league  myself  with  their  op- 
pressors !  Shall  I  not  rather  remain  in  their  ranks,  en- 
couraging them  to  strive  for  the  better  time  to  come  ? 
If  we  rise  we  will  rise  together.  If  we  fall,  you  will  find 
me  with  the  weaker  ones." 

He  asked  her  what  changes  she  would  like  to  in- 
augurate. 

*'  First,  State  and  municipal  control  of  all  staples.  I 
would  not  let  one  irresponsible  man — for  the  sake  of  in- 
creasing a  pile  of  money  already  too  great  for  his  needs 
— raise  the  price  of  meats  or  cereals.  Every  mineral  in 
the  soil  of  America  belongs  by  right  to  the  whole  people. 
I  would  not  allow  a  narrow  combination  to  corner  them, 
and  compel  each  user  to  pay  it  an  exorbitant  tribute,  I 
would  not  let  the  greed  of  a  railroad  company  stand  be- 
tween the  Kansas  farmer  who  burns  the  corn  he  cannot 
sell  and  the  Massachusetts  artisan  who  is  pinched  with 
hunger.  I  would  make  transportation  over  National 
highways  the  duty  and  prerogative  of  government. 
Beef  that  sells  at  two  cents  a  pound  in  Colorado  should 
ao  longer  cost  fifteen  cents  in  New  York.  I  would  de- 
stroy the  present  business  system,  which  drains  the  life- 
blood  of  the  poor,  and  increases  the  number  of  millioa- 


114 


"  IT   MAY    MEAN    MOTHEKHOOD. 

aires  No  man  has  a  moral  right  to  any  more  of  thh 
world's  goods  than  he  can  use.  I  would  not  let  htm 
place  his  parchment  over  a  single  rood  of  earth  merely 
to  gratify  his  desire  for  possession.  I  would  provide 
each  child  with  a  home  and  sustenance  as  good  as  that 
of  any  other  child.  It  should  ece.v.  the  best  possible 
education  at  the  public  expense,  a.,  '.nder  no  circum- 
stances should  it  leave   its  books  in  order  to  earn    its 

''"Abeautitul  dream!"   murmured  Westland.     "And 
how  would  you  bring  it  about  ?  " 

In  her  enthusiasm,  Ellen  unconsciously  moved  her 
chair  closer.  She  almost  touched  him,  and  he  could  feel, 
even  more  than  before,  the  strength  of  her  personality. 

"Nothing  is  wanting,"  she  said,  "  but  the  consent  o 
the  majority,  and  when  our  theories  are  understood  that 
consent  will  not  be  long  withheld.     At  the  present  time, 
the  working  masses  are  undoubtedly  struggling  in  ignor- 
ance,  but  thousands  of  them  are  groping  for  the  lighl 
which  they  feel  is  just  beyond  their  prison-house.     Fhere 
are  those  who  will  lead  them.    The  system  of  wage  slavery 
has  not  crushed  out  all  the  manhood  and  womanhood  in 
their  ranks.     There  are  still  a  few  who  will  reject  the 
always   ready  offers  to  link  themselves  with  the  '  upper 
classes,'  and  behind  the  jasper  walls  of  Paradise   forget 
the  souls  still  lingering  in  Purgatory.     America  is  gov- 
emed  by  laws;  we  will  gradually  shape   them    to   the 
great  end  we   seek.     There  is  enough  for  all,  it  each  » 
given  a  just  share,  and  we  will  aim  at  a  more  equitable 
distribution.      The    workingman   is    thinking.      He    is 
learning  to  use  the  most  potent  weapon  ever  plac-.d  in 
his  hand— the  ballot." 

Westland    contemplated     the    "mill-girl"'     for     some 
•econds   without  speaking.     He  would  have  been  s«n- 


ki'^  epBAKma  of  bllbn. 

fied  to  sit  there  for  an  indefinite  time  in  perfect  silence 
The  charm  increased  as  the  hours  flew  by.  But  a  guilty 
consciousness  stole  over  him.  He  knew  it  was  the 
woman  herself  and  not  her  arguments  that  impressed 
him,  and  he  felt  that  it  was  unfair  to  hex  to  take  her 
time  for  his  mere  selfish  picture.  He  wondered  again 
that  she  should  devote  her  life  to  people  so  far  beneath 
her  in  intellectual  attributrs,  "hough  she  had  already 
answered  his  suggestion  that  she  was  fitted  for  higher 
things.  Misled  and  mistaken,  she  had,  like  other  fanatics, 
the  greatest  tenacity  of  purpose.  Thus  reflecting,  he 
became  aware  that  she  was  waiting  for  him  to  speak. 

"You  have  read  much,"  he  ventured. 

"  Not  so  very  much  on  these  subjects,"  she  answered. 
"A  few  books  that  Hugh  brought  me  did  more  to 
solidify  the  opinions  I  already  held  than  to  give  me 
new  ones.  I  am  not  an  educated  woman,  as  must  be 
apparent  to  you.  At  twelve  years  I  had  to  leave  the 
common  school  to  work  for  the  corporation.  The  wages 
they  pay  have  hardly  enabled  me  to  attend  a  seminary," 
she  added,  with  no  trace  of  bitterness,  and  even  with  a 
smile.  "  And  I  do  not  mean  that  I  spend  all  I  earn  on 
myself,  either."  She  blushed  at  what  might  seem  to 
him  like  a  boast.  "  There  are  so  many  in  want  aroiuid 
me  that  the  pennies  go  as  fast  as  they  come." 

There  was  nothing  romantic  in  the  surroundings,  yet 
he  hated  to  depart.  The  kerosene  lamp  began  to 
smoke,  and  the  wick  had  to  be  adjusted.  The  oil  was 
growing  low  in  its  receptacle.  He  knew  it  must  be  past 
eleycn  o'clock,  and  that  the  mill  wheels  would  begin  to 
turn  in  seven  hours  more.  She  needed  her  rest,  and 
there  might  also  be  an  impropriety  in  his  remaining 
with  her  so  late.  And  still  h«  lingered.  He  wanted  to 
bemr  ber  Tolce  a  littU  longer.     B<it  h<;  knew  thai  it  wa*  9 


""  rr  MAT  meah  MOTHRnHootx''  11 H 

wholly  selfish  wish,  and  writh  aa  eSort  he  mastered  it  a 
last. 

"  It  is  almost  midnight,"  he  said,  looking  at  his  gold 
repeater.  *'  I  beg  your  pardon  for  trespassing  so  long 
upon  your  patience.  I  quite  forgot  the  .liglit  of  time  in 
listening  to  you." 

There  was  an  honest,  straightforward  ring  in  Ellen's 
voice  as  she  replied  : 

"  There  is  no  need  whatever  of  haste.  An  hour  more 
or  less  of  rest  means  nothing  to  me." 

"  But,"  he  said,  slowly,  "does  the  hour  at  which  your 
visitor  leaves  mean  nothing?  Is  Riverfal!  as  free  from 
the  tendency  to  gossip  as  that  would  imply  ?" 

He  was  immediately  sorry  he  had  said  it,  when  he  saw 
the  look  that  came  into  the  face  of  the  Marchioness. 

"  There  is  no  person  in  Riverfall  who  would  dare  ques- 
tion either  my  acts  or  my  purposes,"  she  said,  with  deep- 
ening color.  "  At  least,  none  of  my  own  class,  and  I  care 
little — perhaps  too  little — for  the  opinion  of  the  other. 
They  know  to  what  ray  entire  life  is  dedicated,  as  abso- 
lutely as  that  of  a  nun  to  her  Order.  I  come  and  go  as  I 
choose,  at  all  hours,  and  I  never  yet  was  molested.  I 
have  too  high  a  mission  to  allow  me  to  dwell  on  trifles. 
As  long  as  I  have  breath,  my  every  thought  shall  be  de- 
voted  to  the  elevation  of  the  Common  People." 

Why  did  he  ask  the  next  question  ?  It  was  clearly  im- 
pertinent, 

"You  never  intend  to  marry,  then  f 

She  started  at  the  word. 

"  Marry  ?"  He  thought  there  was  a  cry  of  lonesome- 
ness  in  her  tone.  "If  marriage  only  meant  to  marry, 
1  might  some  day  consent  to  be  a  wife,  that  state  to 
which  I  fully  believe  God  has  called  every  woman  of 
physical  and  intellectual  vigor.     But  marriage  may  mean 


lis  ePKAEUEfO   OP   BLLBV. 

motherhood  !  It  may  mean  the  calling  into  Hff  of  chit 
dren,  to  suffer  as  these  others  suffer  that  I  see  about  me! 
I  have  much  courage,  but  I  could  not  endure  the  awful 
responsibility  that  comes  with  parentage,  in  these  dark 
days,  to  the  poor.  Almost  every  week  some  young 
girl  comes  here  with  a  happy  light  in  her  eyes,  and 
a  secret  for  Ellen  on  her  lips.  She  has  been  asked  to 
marry.  She  tells  me  who  the  young  man  is  and  asks  my 
advice — really  my  consent — to  wed  him.  What  can  I 
say  ?  I  dread  the  future  that  is  in  store  for  her — for  him 
— for  the  unborn  whom  they  may  summon  into  this 
world  that  has  been  made  a  hell  by  the  inhumanity  of 
man.  I  look  into  her  face.  Love  has  electrified  U,  and 
made  the  desert  of  her  cheerless  life  to  blossom  as  the 
rose.  Her  passion  is  a  noble  one,  a  God-given  sentiment, 
perhaps  the  greatest  and  best  among  His  innumerable 
gifts.  She  has  a  right  to  a  husband's  embrace,  a  right 
to  press  her  own  babe  to  her  breast.  Who  shall  deny  her  ? 
Surely  not  I. 

"  But  the  years  pass  on.  The  husband's  wages  make 
a  scanty  living  for  two,  though  they  contrive  to  exist 
with  economy.  Then  the  baby  comes — oh,  how  soon  he 
seems  to  come  ! — and  the  expenses  increase.  Before  long 
I  see  the  little  mother  at  the  mill  gate  in  the  morning 
with  the  rest  of  us — 'just  to  help  out  for  a  little  while  ' — 
but  she  keeps  on.  Two  years  more  and  another  comes. 
That  period  in  which  a  woman  is  entitled  to  have  rest  and 
peace,  by  all  that  is  sacred,  she  spends,  almost  to  her 
latest  moment,  amid  the  crash  and  jar  of  the  mill.  Then 
we  miss  her  for  a  few  weeks.  With  two  children  to  care 
for  and  a  husband's  meals  to  get,  her  whole  time  will  cer- 
tainly be  needed  at  home.  But  here  she  is  again— pale, 
weak,  only  half  recovered  from  her  trial — at  her  loom 
More  mouths  to  feed  make  greater  necessity  for  labor 


*rr   MAY   MEAN    MdTHERHOOf).*  119 

An  endless  chain  has  entangled  her  limbs  and  she  wiC 
never  escape  its  folds  !  I  have  seen  it  so  often  ;  and  yet 
when  the  next  girl  comes,  with  the  same  happy  smile,  to 
tell  me  the  same  story,  I  give  her  my  blessing  and  see 
her  swallowed  in  the  same  maelstrom  ! 

"  There  are  immoral  girls  in  Riverfall  r  girls  who 
might  have  been,  under  other  conditions,  true  and  hon- 
ored wives.  The  young  men  do  not  marry  as  freely  as 
they  used.  They  think  of  the  future,  and  dare  not  under- 
take the  risks  that  matrimony  brings.  Illicit  relations 
are  formed  as  a  matter  of  course.  You  cannot  dam  up 
a  river  so  that  the  stream  will  not  find  its  way  to  the  val- 
ley. Cases  that  almost  break  my  heart  are  being  con- 
stantly brought  to  my  attention.  I  am  full  of  sympathy 
for  these  girls,  though  I  set  my  teeth  together  when  f 
think  of  the  System  that  is  responsible  for  their  acts.  I 
often  take  one  of  them  by  the  hand,  on  my  way  home  at 
night,  to  prove  to  all  that  they  are  Ellen's  friends,  a  sure 
passport  to  respect  among  their  fellow-workers.  The 
crimes  that  follow  these  moral  lapses  are  frequently  too 
dreadful  to  relate.  Little  souls  are  stilled  on  the 
threshold  of  existence.  The  last  time  the  water  was  drawn 
from  the  great  reservoir  there  were  found — Hugh  tells 
me — twenty-seven  little  bodies  !  *  What  cruel  mothers  '.' 
you  will  exclaim.  'What  a  cruel  System  !'  I  will  reply, 
that  stifles  the  best  feelings  of  our  nature,  and  nourishes 
the  baser  ones  until  they  overbalance  the  rest !" 

He  rose  slowly  and  then  stood  looking  into  Ellen's 
•yes.     She  rose  also. 

"  You  believe  me  an  honest  man,"  said  he.  "  Otherwise 
you  would  not  talk  to  me  in  this  manner." 

"  I  believe  you  intend  to  be,"  she  corrected,  the  old 
smile  returning. 

"I  have  my  duty  to  perform  as  I  understand  it,"  he  con 


anued,  earnestly.  Then  he  placed  &  '>aod  nj'ion  isai 
shoulder,  quite  unconscious  of  what  he  was  doing,  and 
she  made  no  movement  of  objection.  "  Ellen,  I  honoi 
and  esteem  you  most  highly.  What  I  am  compelled  to 
do  in  the  interest  of  those  whose  trusts  have  been  dele- 
gated to  me  may  strain  our  friendship,  but  I  trust  we 
shall  not  let  it  break.  The  tension  is  likely  to  be  severe, 
for  after  you  and  your  committee  left  us  this  afternoon 
we  voted  unanimously  to  enforce  the  new  scale  of  wages." 

She  did  not  move  an  inch,  nor  evince  the  least  surprise. 

"  I  expected  that,"  she  answered,  laconically. 

"We  believe  we  are  right,"  he  pr  <ceeded,  slowly,  "and 
shall  act  accordingly.  A  theory  is  one  thing,  but  a  fact 
is  another.  When  the  universal  brotherhood  of  man  ar- 
rives we  shall  all  be  glad  to  welcome  it,  I  have  no  doubt 
.A.t  present  I  see  only  the  thing  that  confronts  me.  At 
the  price  of  cotton  and  of  cotton  fabrics  a  certain  scale 
of  wages  is  necessary  to  produce  such  a  dividend  as  these 
mills  should  earn.  That  scale  has  been  adopted.  I  hope 
— I  can  hardly  say  I  expect — the  spinners  and  weavers 
will  quietly  accept  it.  If  they  do,  I  promise  to  do  all  in 
my  power  to  effect  an  increase  at  the  earliest  moment 
the  state  of  the  market  will  permit.  If  they  prefer  to  go 
out  and  leave  the  looms  idle,  the  swallows  may  build 
their  nests  beneath  the  eaves  undisturbed  for  the  next 
twelve  months." 

Ellen  listened  gravely,  but  still  with  no  demonstratioa 
When  he  finished,  she  said  : 

"  You  are  spt-aking  now  not  as  Philip  Westland,  but  as 
mill-agent  and  trustee." 

"  As  mill-agent  and  trustee,"  he  assented.  ** !  cao 
speak  in  no  other  way." 

She  hade  him  a  cheerful  "  Good-night," and  he  xvalked 
pensively   along   the    deserted    streets   to   the   A<ienc'«' 


ARE   TOU    A    capitalist!  121 

Upon  reaching  his  chamber  he  threw  himself  into  an 
arm-chair  and  relapsed  into  deep  thought. 

An  hour  later  he  found  himself  staring  at  his  reflection 
in  the  mirror  opposite.  The  image  had  such  a  threaten- 
ing aspect  that  he  shrank  from  encountering  it.  He 
turned  this  way  and  that  in  his  chair  to  avoid  its  gaze, 
which  seemed  a  mixture  of  reproachfulness  and  anger 
When  he  could  no  longer  endure  the  accusing  figure  in 
silence,  he  sprang  up  and  confronted  it  with  a  show  of 
boldness. 

"You  would  do  the  same  if  you  had  taken  an  oath  !" 
he  cried  to  his  counterfeit.  "  I  am  under  the  orders  of  a 
board  of  directors.  If  there  be  blame,  it  is  theirs  as 
well  as  mine  !" 

Then  he  went  to  bed  ,  but  he  rested  very  ill  that  night 


CHAPTER     X. 

ARE    YOU    A    CAPITALIST? 

Tliere  were  crowds  in  the  streets  of  Riverfall.  Men 
and  women  with  discontented  faces  thronged  the  side- 
walks. The  mills  were  deserted.  Not  a  wheel  revolved  ; 
not  a  spindle  whirled.  On  the  great  gate  of  each  mill 
was  the  legend,  in  large  black  type,  "  CLOSED  BY 
ORDER  OF  THE  DIRECTORS."  And  some  wag 
had  added  on  one  of  them,  "AFTER  ALL  THE 
HANDS  HAD  GONE  OUT!" 

It  might  have  been  Sunday,  it  was  so  quiet,  but  the 
holiday  attire  and  the  gaiety  was  missing.  Conversation 
took  on  a  lower  tone.     Little  groups  here  and  there  dis- 


12S  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

cussed  the  all-important  question,  but  what  was  said 
could  not  have  been  detected  many  feet  away. 

Philip  Westland,  the  new  agent,  could  see  part  oi  the 
crowd  from  his  window,  though  the  Agency  was  some 
way  from  the  center.  Edna  Melbourg  and  Ralph  were 
ivith  him.  Edna,  at  frequent  intervals,  expressed  an 
opinion  that  the  strike  could  not  last  long.  She  had  no 
difficulty  in  perceiving  that  the  matter  was  preying  on 
Philip's  mind,  and  she  wanted  very  much  to  encourage 
him.  Ralph  said  little.  He  was  thinking  mournfully  of 
the  reduction  in  his  income  which  another  year's  loss  of 
dividends  in  the  Great  Central  Corporation  would  en- 
tail. Westland  listened  listlessly  until  Edna  had  re- 
peated her  consoling  sentences  twenty  times  or  so,  and 
then  spoke. 

"  This  is  no  longer  a  strike  ;  it  is  a  lock-out.  In  a 
strike,  the  employes  can  return  at  their  pleasure  and  re- 
sume work  at  the  wages  offered.  In  a  lock-out,  the  man- 
ufacturer fixes  not  only  the  wages  but  the  time  when  he 
will  permit  the  hands  to  resume  labor.  The  attitude  we 
have  taken  puzzles  our  work-people.  The  ordinary  way 
in  a  case  of  this  kind  is  to  attempt  to  put  on  new  hands, 
who  are  subjected  to  all  sorts  of  humiliation,  if  not  direct 
assault,  and  are  denominated  'scabs'  and  'knobsticks.' 
This  brings  on  a  general  conflict  between  employer  and 
employe.  In  a  lock-out,  nothing  of  that  kind  can  occur. 
The  corporation,  having  decided  to  lock  its  doors,  has  no 
need  to  employ  anybody.  The  locked-out  people,  having 
nothing  to  excite  them  to  acts  of  violence,  will  the  sooner 
tire  of  their  amusement.  Whenever  we  get  ready  to 
open  the  mills  again,  they  will  jam  the  entrance  in  their 
eagerness  to  reach  the  looms.  But  we  shall  be  in  no 
haste.  A  little  longer  vacation  than  usual  will  do  these 
people  good.'' 


ABR   TOTT    ▲   capitalist!  12S 

Ralph  heard  him  attentively,  and  thought  he  meant  all 
he  said.  Edna  heard  him  with  equal  attention,  and 
took  a  very  different  view. 

On  the  second  evening  of  the  strike,  a  little  figure, 
cloaked,  hooded  and  veiled,  crept  to  the  rear  door  of  the 
Agency  and  asked  for  Mr.  Melbourg.  As  previous  in- 
structions to  that  effect  had  been  given,  the  stranger  was 
admitted  and  shown  into  the  reception  room.  A  few 
moments  later  Ralph  entered.  He  made  two  steps  to 
her  side  and  would  have  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  but  she 
drew  back. 

'^  Are  you  a  capitalist  1" 

Her  voice  was  sepulchral  After  waiting  for  the  ques- 
«on  to  have  its  full  effect,  she  added  : 

"  Because,  if  you  are,  you  cannot  touch  me  '" 

Ralph  laughed  merrily,  thinking  it  not  a  bad  joke. 

"Lift  your  veil,  Nathalie,"  he  said,  "and  I  will  draw 
from  the  deepest  and  best  mine  I  own." 

But  she  drew  back  again. 

"  You  must  answer  me,  Ralph.  I  am  completely  in 
earnest.     Are  you  a  capitalist  V* 

"Wen,  no,  my  darling,"  he  answered,  "  I  don't  believe 
I  am.  I  rather  think  I  came  near  being  one,  but  our 
friends  the  strikers  have  pretty  well  disposed  of  that 
peril." 

"  Oh,  I'm  so  glad  !"  cried  the  French  girl,  throwing  up 
her  veil.  "  I  love  you  very  much,  and  I  couldn't  bear  to 
think  of  giving  you  up,  but  I  heard  one  of  the  men  say 
you  were  a  capitalist ;  and  I  couldn't  have  endured  that, 
you  know.      Now,  I'll  take  off  my  veil  and — " 

He  caught  her  to  his  heart  with  one  convulsive  clasp. 
It  had  been  two  weeks  since  he  had  had  an  opportunity 
to  speak  to  her.  His  quick  fingers  removed  the  screen 
from  her  face  and. the  hood  from  her  head,  though  ho 


124  SFlIAKINu    OF    m>LElS. 

drew  some  rather  warm  criticism  upc  n  himself  m  the 
Jatter  operation  by  tumbling  her  hair  down  in  his  eager- 
ness. When  he  had  kissed  her  until  she  compelled  him 
to  discontinue,  he  seated  himself  by  her  side  and  began 
to  ply  her  with  questions. 

"  In  the  first  place,  what  villain  told  you  I  was  a  capi 
talist  ?" 

"  One  of  the  men  named  Converse,"  she  answered, 
twisting  her  hair  back  into  shape,  and  speaking  with  her 
mouth  full  of  pins  that  she  had  drawn  from  the  tangled 
meshes.  "  I  think  he  would  kill  every  capitalist  in  the 
worlds  if  he  had  his  way,  Ellen  has  an  awful  lot  of 
trouble  with  him." 

"Tell  me  all  about  her,"  said  he,  showing  sudden 
interest. 

**  Oh !  You  ought  to  know  her  !'*  cried  Nathalie. 
**  She  is  the  most  wonderful  woman  I  ever  saw.  All  the 
mill  people  do  exactly  as  she  tells  them.  The  night 
after  I  first  began  work  I  was  taken  to  a  hall  and  made 
to  promise — but  I  forgot !     I  was  not  to  tell  that !" 

Nathalie  bore  a  perfectly  childlike  look  as  she  made 
the  discovery  that  she  was  breaking  her  obligation.  Her 
eyes  were  opened  wider  than  Ralph  had  ever  seen  them 
before. 

"  It  will  be  all  right  to  tell  me"  he  said,  "  for  of  course 
I  would  let  it  go  no  farther.  That  is  what  you  came 
here  for,  you  know,  and  I  want  to  hear  every  word." 

The  girl  looked  unconvinced. 

"But,  Ralph,  I  promised  not  to  tell — and — and  a  prom- 
ise is — a — a  prom  is*." 

It  was  evidently  useless  to  pursue  this  tack,  and  he  no 
longer  insisted. 

**  How  did  you  like  the  oaill  work  ?*'  he  inquired,  by 
way  of  diversioa. 


*  Splendid  '"  was  the  unexpected  reply.  **  I  was 
/.leadful  sorry  when  the  strike  began,  tliough  there  is 
some  tun  in  that,  too." 

"  You  are  rooming  at  the  same  house  with  Ellen.  1 
hear." 

*'  M — m."  she  assented.  "  I've  got  a  room  on  the  same 
floor,  just  across  the  hallway.  It's  the  jolliest  place  f 
I  sleep  with  a  girl  named  Fl.h'^rty,  and  if  I  start  up  sud- 
denly in  the  night — dreami  g  of  you,  or  anything — I 
bump  my  head  against  the  low  ceiling  that  comes  down 
on  my  side  of  the  bed." 

Ralph  frowned  at  the  recital. 

"  And  that  is  what  you  call  '  jolly  V  "  he  said,  with  a 
grimace.  "  A  month  ago  j'ou  thought  our  ten-foot  cham- 
bers too  low  for  you.  Now  you  like  v^mr  head-breakei 
better.  Probably,"  he  added,  as  the  thought  struck  him., 
**you  prefer  the  Flaherty  to  me,  also  !" 

Nathalie  laughed  at  this. 

"How  could  I  ?"  she  said.  "Bridget  is  oniy  a  girl, 
anyway.  She  has  got  a  brother,  though,  named  Mike. 
Oh,  Ae's  an  angel  !" 

The  disgusted  expression  did  not  leave  the  face  of 
Mr.  Ralph  Melbourg. 

"  Horrible  !"  he  ejaculated.  "  I  suppose  the  next  thing 
I  hear  you  will  be  Mrs.  Mike  Flaherty  !" 

"Well,  he's  asked  me,"  she  replied,  thoughtfully 

Ralph  grasped  her  wrists  so  tightly  that  she  uttered 
An  expression  of  pain. 

**  You    shall   not  speak   K>  ara  ia  thai  way  '"   he  ex 
claimed 

She  pulled  her  hands  away,  as  soon  as  he  would  let 
her,  and  moved  her  chair  from  bim. 

**I  shall  do  as  I  please."  she  said.  **  If  a  ^ood  fellow 
wants  tne  for  a  wii^   I   shall  not  wait  iorjtcntr  consent, 


186  ePEAKINO    OF   ELLEW. 

Ellen  has  been  talking  to  me  lately,  and  what  she  said 
has  set  me  to  thinking." 

Her  sober  face  struck  a  great  chill  into  her  companion. 

*  Anyone  can  talk  to  you  except  me  and  you  will  listen 
to  them,"  he  said,  reproachfully.  "  You  know  I  Aove  you 
above  everything." 

Nathalie  observed  him  gravely. 

"  You  would  not  marry  me." 

He  flushed  suddenly. 

"  It  is  the  first  time  any  one  ever  proposed  to  me,"  he 
said,  "  and  I — " 

The  girl  arose  and  began  to  put  on  her  wraps 

"It  is  not  the  first  time  you  have  insulted  me,"  she 
said,  quietly,  "but  it  will  be  the  last" 

This  speech  alarmed  him. 

"  My  darling,"  he  hastened  to  say,  "  when  you  talk  of 
going  with  another  man  you  make  me  desperate.  This 
fortnight  we  hare  been  separated  seems  a  year.  Is  it 
really  true  that  Flaherty  asked  you  to  marry  him  ?  *' 

She  bowed  firmly, 

"  After  knowing  you  less  than  two  weeks  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  kind  of  a  fellow  is  he — a  rough  mill  laborer  I 
suppose  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  Christian,"  she  answered,  simply. 

"  By  which  you  mean  a  Roman  Catholic." 

"  It  is  the  only  true  church,"  said  she,  "  He  would  noa 
make  fun  of  religion,  as  you  do," 

He  was  growing  very  uneasy. 

"  But — you  do  not  love  him  !  Tell  me,  Nathalie,  that 
you  do  not !  " 

"  I  do  not  love  him,"  she  repeated  ;  aad  he  caught  hc» 
in  his  arms. 

**  And  you  do  love  me  \  '* 


JkSS  TOU   A   OAPITAIJSTt  ItT 

*•  Aiid  I  do  love  you.** 

He  could  hardly  contain  himself  for  joy. 

"  B»it  why  do  you  say  such  disagreeable  things  V** 

She  laughed  and  seemed  quite  contented  again. 

"It  is  you  who  are  cross,"  she  said.  "You  looked 
as  if  you  were  going  to  bite  me  when  I  said  the  ceiling 
was  low  in  my  bedroom.  Do  you  think  I  am  to  blame 
for  it  ?     I  have  done  exactly  as  you  told  me." 

"  I  surely  did  not  tell  you  to  sleep  with  Miss  Flaherty," 
he  smiled,  "  nor  to  flirt  with  her  brother." 

She  laughed  again. 

"I  had  to  sleep  with  somebody,  and  I  couldn't  take 
my  choice.  There  are  rats  in  the  house,  so  I  wouldn't 
sleep  alone,  anyway.  One  jumped  out  of  my  shoe  this 
morning,  as  I  was  going  to  put  it  on.  As  for  Mike,  I 
didn't  flirt  with  him  at  all.  I  couldn't  help  him  asking 
me,  though  it  was  rather  sudden." 

Then  he  got  her  to  talking  about  Ellen  ;  and  she  told 
him  again  what  a  wonderful  woman  she  was,  and  how 
everybody  obeyed  her  as  if  she  were  a  queen.  She  spoke 
of  Hugh  also,  and  of  Converse,  the  Manchester  fire- 
eater. 

"When  he  spoke  of  you  as  a  capitalist,  he  almost 
frightened  me,"  she  said.  "  I  could  not  bear  to  think 
of  you  as  one  of  those  men  who  get  rich  by  robbing 
the  poor  !  You'll  never  do  that,  will  you  ?  If  you  do,  I 
could  never  love  you  again." 

"  And  now,  what  do  you  say  about  the  strike  ?  "  he 
asked.     "  Will  they  hold  out  long,  do  you  think  ?  " 

The  question  seemed  to  astound  her. 

"Of  course  they  will  !  "  she  cried.  "They  will  never 
%\vt  up — I  heard  them  say  so,  over  and  over,  in  the 
great  meeting,  last  night  !  The  mill  owners  will  eithei 
have  to  pay  the  old  wages,  or  keep  their  mills  closed 


128  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN, 

What  makes  your  friend  Westland  do  their  dirty  woilk 
for  them  ?     I  thought  him  a  nice  sort  of  man." 

Here  was  news  worth  having,  from  undoubtedly 
honest  sources. 

"  What  do  they  say  about  Phil  ?  "  he  queried. 

"They  don't  say  very  much  about  him — Ellen  won't 
let  them.  She  likes  him,  and  that  is  what  nobody  seems 
to  understand.  He  is  the  agent  who  has  locked  us  all 
out,  but  Ellen  tries  to  stop  all  talk  against  him.  I  think 
that  will  make  trouble  before  we  get  through.  Con- 
verse is  the  worst  about  it.  It  was  when  he  was  talking 
on  that  subject  that  he  used  your  name." 

"  What  did  he  say  ?" 

"  He  was  standing  on  the  sidewalk  with  a  big  crowd 
and  he  said  something  like  this  :     *I  ain't  going  to  have 
a  woman's  love  affair  spoil  this  strike  without  a  protest.' 
Then  the  people  around  him  said  '  Hush  !'  and  looked 
frightened.     *  I  don't  care,'  he  went  on.     '  He's  brought 
a  young  capitalist  cub  with  him,  too  (that's  you,  Ralph), 
and  got  him  up  at  the  big  house,  along  with  a  lady  who 
has  got  a  fortune  made  out  of  poor  operatives  like  us 
But    he  can  do  anything  he    likes,  of    course,  and  w 
mustn't  say  a  word,  because  he's  Ellen's  lover  !'     Ther 
some  of  the  men  offered  to  strike  him — they  were  awfu 
mad — and  Hugh  (do  you  know  Hugh  ?)  came  up  just  in 
time.     When  they  told  Hugh  what  Converse  had  said  he 
looked  as  black  as  any  of  them  for  a  minute  ;  but  finally 
he  told  us  to  go  off  as  quietly  as  we  could,  and  not  say  a 
«rord  about  it  to  any  one.     We  all  promised,  and — there } 
—  I've  been  and  told  you  another  secret  !" 

Ralph's  face,  which  had  grown  rather  lengthy  at  the 
ir>compHm''.'ntary  allusion  to  himself,  grew  brighter  as  it 
encountered  the  disconsolate  look  on  hers. 

"^It  will    dc  no  barm,  though,"    the  girl    continued. 


JJtB  von  A  OAPrTAUSTV  19t 

ingenuously.  "You  are  on  our  side  against  the  capital- 
ists, even  if  you  do  live  in  the  house  with  the  agent  I 
tvish  you  would  join  our  society.  They  couldn't  say  any 
more  against  you  after  that !" 

"  What  society  ?" 

"  The  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Toil,"  she  replied,  with 
absolute  sincerity.  ^ 

"  I  fear  I  am  hardly  eligible,*  he  replied,  his  smile 
broadening.  **  I  have  never  labored  very  much,  you 
know." 

"  They  took  m^"  said  she.  **  I  joined  a  week  ago,  and 
t  know  they  would  be  glad  to  have  you.  Let  me  take 
your  name  in.     I  would  be  delighted  if  I  might." 

Ralph  had  the  greatest  difficulty  to  preserve  his  coun. 
lenance  at  all. 

"  Not  quite  yet,"  he  said.  "  I  want  to  look  into  the 
matter  a  little  before  I  apply  for  admission.  But  tell  me 
what  Ellen  said  to  you.  You  didn't  tell  her  about  /»<?,  of 
course." 

Nathalie  grew  serious. 

"I  told  her  there  was — somebody," she  said, reddening, 
**!  couldn't  help  it.  She  got  it  out  of  me  before  I  knew 
it.     You  can't  keep  anything  from  Ellen." 

"  Supposing  she  should  ask  you  if  you  were  in  River- 
fall  on  false  pretences  ?" 

The  girl's  color  deepened. 

"  If  I  came  here  that  way,"  she  said,  "  it  is  over.  Now 
[  am  with  Ellen  as  fully  as  any  of  them.  Not  a  striker 
will  hold  out  longer  than  I.  I  have  never  been  happier 
than  since  I  began  to  earn  an  honest  living." 

His  face  grew  very  long  again. 

"And  where  does  all  this  leave  me  ?" 

*'  Oh,  Ralph  !"  she  cried,  impetuously,  "  I  wish  you  were 
»lso  very  poor — that  you  had  to  work,  and  that  we  wer* 


130  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEKi. 

like  these  people  I  see  about  me  !  I  am  glad  you  are  not 
a  capitalist,"  (she  spoke  the  disagreeable  words  with  bated 
breath)  but  you  are  nearly  as  bad.  You  do  not  earn  any- 
thing. The  workpeople  are  your  slaves,  after  all.  Ellen 
says  no  man  has  a  right  to  live  if  he  does  not  produce 
things.  If  you  and  I  could  work  together,  it  would 
make  us  love  each  other  all  the  more." 

The  tear  that  glistened  in  the  girl's  eye  as  she  finished 
gave  her  a  new  charm  in  the  sight  of  her  lover.  It  was 
not  like  the  Nathalie  he  had  known  so  long,  but  there 
was  nothing  displeasing  in  this  revelation  of  a  deeper 
nature.     When  he  answered  he  was  as  serious  as  she. 

"  It  is  not  nice  to  be  poor,  Nathalie,  A  few  weeks  such 
as  you  are  passing  may  seem  pleasant,  but  in  the  long 
run  poverty  must  be  very  painful.  The  man  who  camps 
with  enjoyment  in  one  of  the  bright  summer  months, 
would  find  it  quite  another  thing  when  the  blasts  of  win- 
ter sweep  across  the  plain.  Don't  let  Ellen  put  silly  ideas 
into  that  pretty  head  of  yours." 

She  was  vexed  at  such  an  allusion  to  her  new  idol. 

"  Ellen  could  not  have  silly  ideas,"  she  said,  "  but  per- 
haps I  don't  quite  understand  all  she  says.  I  am  sure, 
though,  if  you  were  poor,  I  should  like  you  just  the  same  ; 
and     think  you  would  seem  nearer  to  me." 

He  regarded  her  with  an  expression  of  great  tender- 
ness. 

•*  I  am  poorer  already  than  you  suppose,"  he  said.  "  One 
or  two  more  strikes  and  lock-outs,  and  I  may  have  to  look 
for  work  in  earnest." 

"  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  !"  was  her  answer. 

She  seemed  so  happy  that  ne  hesitated  to  disturb  the 
illusion,  and  changed  the  subject. 

"My cousin,  the  blind  lady,  wished  to  see  you  when 
you  came.     May  I  call  her  ?" 


ABE    YOU    A    CAPITALIST  ?  131 

•*Oh,  yes  ?  I  should  like  to  see  her  very  much  !" 

When  Ralph  found  Edna  she  expressed  a  desire  to 
have  a  few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  the  girl, 
and,  after  escorting  her  to  the  room,  he  withdrew. 

Nathalie  met  her  visitor  half  way,  and  the  mutual  greet- 
mg  was  very  hearty.  After  a  few  words  in  the  ordinary 
fashion,  Edna  said,  suddenly  : 

"  Tell  me  about  this  Ellen.     Is  she  very  handsome  ?" 

"  I  think  I  never  saw  a  woman  so  beautiful  I" 

There  was  a  strained  attention  to  each  word  that  was 
not  lost  on  the  French  girl. 

"Is  she  deeply  in  love,  do  you  think  ?" 

"They  say — the  strikers — that  she  cares  very  much 
for  him." 

**  Describe  him  to  me,  please." 

Nathalie  looked  thoroughly  puzzled. 

"You  have   known  him  much  longer  than  I,  madam.** 

"  Known  him  ?"  repeated  Edna,  slowly.  "  Why,  I  have 
heard  his  voice  but  once.  That  was  when  the  strikers* 
committee  met  the  directors." 

Nathalie's  surprised  expression  grew  more  pronounced. 

"  And  you  never  knew  him  before  you  came  to  River- 
fall  ?" 

"  Certainly  not.     How  could  I  ?" 

"  Ralph  knew  him  so  well  and  spoke  of  him  so  often, 
I  supposed  you  were  also  acquainted.  Well,  I  will  do 
the  best  I  can.  He  is  quite  tall,  with  dark  hair  and  eyes. 
He  is  a  gentleman  in  looks  every  inch,  but  with  a  manner 
that  seems  at  times  very  stern.  He  always  dresses  well, 
but  with  no  attempt  at  display — " 

Edna  interrupted  her  with  an  expression  of  impa^ 
tience. 

*  Dresses  well  1    He  cannot  dress  well  when  at  work 


132  8PEAEINO    OF   ELLEN, 

in  the  mill  ?  What  do  you  mean  ?  I  am  sure  you  are 
not  describing  Mr.  Mayiield," 

Nathalie  started. 

"  Mr.  Mayfield  !  you  said  nothing  about  him.  You 
asked  me  for  a  description  of  the  man  the  people  say  is 
Ellen's  lover." 

'^Yesf"  It  was  almost  a  scream.  "Is  not  his  name 
Hugh  Mayfield^" 

"  Why,  no  ;  it  is  Mr.  Westland." 

The  blind  girl  lurched  forward,  and  Nathalie  caught 
hei  in  her  arms.  The  apparently  harmless  statement 
had  thrown  her  into  a  dead  fainL 


CHAPTER  XI, 

THE    AGENT'S   CONSTABLE. 

**  Bill  ''  Converse  was  out  of  sorts.  The  strike  had 
endured  nearly  a  month,  and  there  was  no  sign  that 
an  end  was  near  at  hand.  In  spite  of  all  he  could  say 
— and  he  grew  less  and  less  guarded  in  his  utterances — 
most  of  the  ex-employes  of  the  Great  Central  Corpora- 
tion still  pinned  their  faith  to  Ellen  in  what  he  consid- 
ered the  blindest  manner.  The  situation  galled  him. 
He  had  been  in  many  strikes  before,  but  never  in  one 
like  this.  To  see  two  thousand  persons  thrown  out  of 
their  livelihood  and  not  a  hand  raised  to  resist  the  injury  ; 
to  see  man  taking  orders  at  such  a  time — and  such  orders 
-—from  a  woman,  was  more  than  he  could  bear.  Con- 
verse was  in  a  very  dangerous  mood  tititt  day  when  ha 


THE  agent's  cjonstablb-  153 

made  the  allusion  to  Ellen  which  Nathalie  reported  to 
Ralph.  The  rough  treatment  that  his  associates  were 
evidently  about  to  give  him  did  not  improve  his  temper. 
He  knew  that  Hugh's  interference  was  all  that  prevented 
his  falling  a  victim  to  the  anger  he  had  evoked  by  his 
slighting  reference  to  the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall. 

There  were  half-a-dozen  of  the  men  who  sympathized 
with  Converse,  though  none  other  dared  be  so  outspoken. 
They  were  all  of  them  Englishmen,  When  Hugh  had  given 
him  safe  escort  out  of  the  crowd,  these  men  joined  him, 
and  the  party  proceeded  to  his  room  in  one  of  the  cor- 
poration houses.  As  they  were  going  up  the  stairs  they 
saw  a  man  nailing  a  paper  on  Converse's  door.  It  was  a 
brief  warning,  couched  in  legal  phrase,  that  he  must 
vacate  the  premises  within  one  week  from  date. 

The  Manchester  weaver  turned  savagely  upon  the  man, 
when  he  had  read  the  notice,  and  would  have  struck  him 
but  for  the  interference  of  his  comrades. 

"  You  devil's  cur  !"  he  cried,  in  a  towering  passion. 
*•  Meaner  than  the  hounds  who  employ  you  to  do  their 
rascally  business  !  Who  sent  you  here  with  this  paper? 
Speak,  or  I  will  spoil  your  ugly  face  so  that  your  masted 
will  not  recognize  it  !" 

"  It  was  the  agent's  constable,"  whimpered  the  fellow, 
thoroughly  scared.  "  I  didn't  know  there  was  any  harm 
in  it.  I  have  a  wife  and  five  children  at  home,  sir,  and  1 
have  to  do  something  to  get  them  bread  I" 

Converse's  eyes  were  like  those  of  a  tiger  as  he  re- 
plied : 

**Vou  have  a  wife  and  children  !  What  about  the 
wives  and  children  you  are  dispossessing  this  day?  To 
feed  your  brats  you  would  be  willing  to  starve  a  hun- 
dred others  !  To  keep  a  roof  over  their  heads  you 
would  throw  a  thousand  people  into  the  street  I     Giv« 


IM  SPEAKING   OP   EIXEN. 

me  those  papers— give  them  to  me,  I  say,  or  I  will  force 
them  down  your  throat  !  There  !  Tell  your  employei 
to  look  in  the  river  for  them,  and  that  if  he  sends  more 
they  will  be  used  in  the  same  way  !" 

The  bundle  of  documents  floated  down  the  stream,  into 
which  they  had  been  flung  from  the  window,  andthe  tool 
of  Capital  fled  from  the  vicinity,  glad  that  he  had  been 
allowed  to  escape  so  easily.  Before  half  an  hour  had 
elapsed  all  Riverfall  knew  of  the  occurrence,  and  the  first 
semblance  of  excitement  began  to  show  itself.  The  im- 
mediate result  was  the  calling  of  the  strikers'  committee 
of  conference  to  meet  that  evening.  At  the  very  moment 
when  Nathalie  was  removing  her  veil  in  the  reception- 
room  of  the  Agency,  Ellen  was  holding  the  most  import- 
ant session  of  the  month  at  the  hall  where  the  meetings 
of  the  committee  were  always  carried  on. 

Her  first  act,  after  the  usual  opening  formalities,  was 
to  demand  of  Converse  whether  it  were  true,  as  reported, 
that  he  had  committed  a  breach  of  the  rules  by  assault- 
ing a  representative  of  the  law  who  was  engaged  in  doing 
a  legal  act. 

The  Englishman  had  made  up  his  mind  to  dissemble 
no  longer,  and  he  met  the  question  with  a  bold  defiance. 
The  yoke  of  this  woman  had  become  insupportable.  If 
his  fellow-strikers  were  to  continue  to  bow  beneath  it, 
he  would  leave  their  ranks,  and  the  sooner  the  better. 

"It  is  true,  exactly  as  you  have  stated  it,"  he  said, 
without  flinching,  "  I  took  the  papers  that  ordered  me 
out  of  my  home,  and  threw  them  into  the  river.  My  only 
regret  is  that  I  did  not  throw  Westland's  man  aftef 
them  !" 

Ellen  spoke  with  calm  resolution. 

"  It  is  evident  that  you  have  determined  on  insubor- 
dination, and,  however  painful  it  may  be  to  me,  I  hav« 


rHB   AGSmr'S   OOMOTAfiut.  iM 

but  one  course  to  pursue.  I  have  entered  on  a  policy 
which  your  act  may  seriously  imperil.  It  is  for  me  to 
disown  it  without  "/.elay  ind  the  only  way  to  do  so  is  to 
strike  your  name  .:rom  the  books.     This  will  be  done." 

Converse,  though  fully  expecting  the  result,  could  not 
conceal  the  fact  that  it  gave  him  an  unpleasant  sensa- 
tion. He  looked  around  the  room,  but  in  the  faces  that 
he  encountered  there  was  little  to  encourage  him.  Then 
he  said,  in  a  low  voice; 

"That  it  may  never  be  said  I  submitted  to  this  injus- 
tice without  a  protest,  I  appeal  from  your  decision." 

Mayfield  took  from  the  table  drawer  a  number  of  slips 
of  white  paper,  and  passed  them  around  among  the  group. 
For  the  next  minute  nothing  but  the  movement  of  lead 
pencils  could  be  heard.  Three  members  who  were  desig- 
nated to  collect  and  count  the  ballots  reported  them  as 
unanimous  in  favor  of  sustaining  Ellen's  action.  At  this 
announcement  Converse  took  his  hat  and  left  the  room 
without  another  word. 

Old  McNamara  rose  to  say  that,  while  he  endorsed  the 
expulsion  of  the  disobedient  member,  he  had  a  certain 
sympathy  with  the  sentiment  that  had  actuated  him  in 
his  treatment  of  the  constable's  messenger. 

"  But,"  he  added,  "  I  do  not  forget  that  we  have  placed 
ourselves  under  certain  officers,  and  given  them  author- 
ity to  decide  what  course  we  shall  follow.  Unless  we 
can  obey  our  leaders,  we  can  never  hope  to  defeat  our 
enemies.  I  confess  I  could  wish  we  had  made  more  pro- 
gress, but  I  am  trying  to  be  patient.  Converse  is  as 
good  a  man  and  as  true  a  soul  as  there  is  in  Riverfall. 
I  hope  none  of  us  will  treat  him  otherwise  than  as  a  friend 
when  we  meet  him.  He  has  been  expelled  from  oui 
committee,  and  further  severity  seems  unnecessary." 

The  old  man's  words  met  with  a  general  expression  of 


136  SPEAKING  OF  ELLEN. 

approval,  and  the  committee  proceeded  with  its  busiMess^ 
When  the  rest  had  left  the  hall,  McNamara  lingered  to 
say  another  word  for  the  expelled  one. 

"  He  means  well,  Ellen.  I  hope  you  won't  be  hard 
with  him." 

"  I  fear  he  will  make  us  much  trouble,"  she  replied. 
"  A  few  such  acts  as  he  was  guilty  of  to-day  might  bring 
on  a  general  conflict  with  the  authorities.  This  is  no 
time  to  encourage  hot-headedness.  My  course  will  de- 
pend more  on  what  he  may  do  than  on  what  he  has  done. 
We  have  at  least  disowned  his  breach  of  the  law,  and 
thus  set  ourselves  right  with  the  public." 

The  old  man  walked  away,  and  Ellen  and  Hugh 
strolled,  as  was  their  wont,  toward  her  home  together. 
They  said  little,  but  when  they  readied  her  door  she 
invited  him  in,  feeling  instinctively  that  there  was  some- 
thing on  his  mind  that  he  desired  to  impart  to  her.  She 
lit  a  lamp,  which  made  the  canaries  stir  in  their  cages. 
When  both  were  seated,  Ellen  turned  to  her  companion 
a  face  in  which  were  deeper  lines  than  he  had  ever  seen 
there  before.  She  was  bearing  a  double  burden  that 
overtaxed  her  strength. 

"  What  is  it,  Hugh  ?" 

The  assumed  cheerfulness  of  her  manner  did  not 
deceive  him. 

"I  hesitate  to  say  much  to  you  to-night,"  he  replied, 
**  because  I  see  you  are  not  as  well  as  usual.  Sleep  will 
do  you  more  good  than  talk.    I  will  come  in  to-morrow." 

**  I  am  stronger  than  you  think,"  was  her  answer,  "  and 
I  shall  sleep  better  when  I  know  you  have  kept  nothing 
from  me." 

Her  superior  force  of  will  won  the  victory,  and  he 
proceeded  : 

**  We  have  expelled  Converse  from  the  committee  ;  thaJ 


THE  agent's  constable.  137 

was  right.  Any  other  course  would  have  been  fatal  to 
discipline.  But  the  thing  that  caused  his  outbreak  is 
yet  to  be  met.  The  notices  ordering  us  to  vacate  the 
corporation  houses  will  still  be  served.  They  are  legal 
documents.  We  must  either  obey  them  quietly,  or  resist. 
Which  shall  it  he?" 

"Obey,"  was  the  prompt  answer.  ** We  cannot  suc- 
cessfully compete  with  the  law." 

He  bowed  assent. 

"But,"  he  said,  "what  is  to  come  next?  It  is  not 
warm  enough  these  nights  to  sleep  out  of  doors. 
Women  and  children  will  perish  if  the  sky  is  their 
only  covering.  They  must  be  provided  with  shelter. 
Where  ?" 

She  thought  a  moment  before  she  spoke. 

"There  are  the  public  buildings,"  she  said.  "The 
same  authorities  who  stand  ready  to  enforce  our  evic- 
tion from  the  corporation  houses  are  charged  with  the 
duty  of  providing  food  and  shelter  for  the  poor.  There 
is  no  disgrace  in  accepting  such  aid  at  such  a  time. 
The  stockholders  who  refuse  to  let  us  earn  our  bread 
in  their  mills  are  by  far  the  largest  taxpayers  in  River- 
fall.  Under  the  State  laws  we  cannot  be  refused  the 
necessaries  of  life.  Those  men  who  have  covered  the 
town  with  their  title  deeds  will  have  the  bills  to  pay,  as 
they  ought.  When  our  people  understand  this — and 
you  must  see  that  the  idea  is  circulated  at  once — they 
will  no  longer  stand  in  dread  of  the  word  'pauper.* 
The  State  has  kept  us  in  childhood.  When  its  policy 
makes  us  hungry  and  homeless,  let  us  go  to  it  like  chil- 
dren." 

Hugh  listened  with  the  air  of  one  who,  while  he 
intends  obedience,  holds  the  right  to  make  suggestions. 

**  Let  me  remind  you."  he  said,  *'  that  the  town  build' 


138  fiPBAKINa  OF  ELIMBU 

ings  will  not  hold  half  of  us,  should  the  proposed  whole« 
sale  evictions  be  carried  out.  Even  if  the  authorities 
were  disposed  in  our  favor — which  they  are  not — there 
would  be  a  limit  to  what  they  could  do  in  that  direc- 
tion." 

"  The  people  will  not  all  be  turned  out  at  once," 
replied  Ellen.  "  It  will  take  time  to  serve  the  notices. 
The  problem  will  be  forced  on  the  town  officials  gradu- 
ally, and  they  will  be  compelled  to  meet  it.  And  if  a 
night  comes  when  they  cannot  give  shelter  to  all  the 
helpless,  we  will  apply  to  the  churches." 

Hugh's  lip,  in  spite  of  all  he  could  do,  curled  ironi- 
cally at  the  suggestion. 

'*  The  churches  !"  he  exclaimed.  "When  was  ever  a 
church  on  the  side  of  a  striker !  Who  ever  heard  a  par- 
son preach  from  his  pulpit  against  our  destroyers ! 
They  will  lock  their  doors,  Ellen.  Place  no  reliance  on 
them,  for  they  will  fail  you." 

She  was  not  disconcerted  by  his  lack  of  faith. 

"There  have  been  reasons  heretofore,"  she  said, calmly, 
"  why  the  churches  have  not  sided  with  the  oppressed 
In  times  of  labor  troubles.  Violent  men  have  led  the 
strikers  on  to  acts  of  lawlessness,  and  the  church  is  the 
great  conservator  of  the  peace.  It  is  largely  for  the 
sake  of  enlisting  the  active  sympathy  of  this  immense 
force  that  I  have  held  so  firmly  to  the  policy  of  non-re- 
sistance. We  shall  present  a  new  phase  of  this  ques- 
tion— a  set  of  peaceable  work-people  ordered  out  of  their 
homes.  They  cannot  refuse  us  shelter  in  edifices  ded- 
icated to  the  service  of  Him  who  said  the  giving  of  a 
cup  of  water  to  a  thirsty  man  would  not  be  forgotten 
in  Heaven." 

The  young  man  listened  with  reverend  mien,  but  hU 


^HE    agent's   CONSTiLfiLS.  1S9 

regard  was  toward  the  speaker  and  not  the  institution 
of  which  she  spoke, 

"  Oh,  Ellen,"  he  said,  "  I  wirN  I  had  your  faith  !  Your 
own  heart  is  so  guileless  that  you  look  for  too  much 
good  in  others.  The  church  has  always  leagued  itself 
against  the  poor,  in  favor  of  the  rich.  For  a  thousand 
years  it  has  poured  its  holy  oil  upon  the  heads  of  kings, 
and  damned  the  subject  who  dared  refuse  to  put  his 
neck  under  the  despot's  heel  !  The  Irish  landlord  has 
more  than  once  invoked  the  aid  of  Rome  to  quiet  his 
fagged  and  starving  tenants.  Pizzaro  and  Cortes  de- 
stroyed better  nations  than  their  own,  with  the  Cross 
uplifted  above  their  bloody  su'ords.  Right  here  in 
Riverfall,  the  rich  men  rule  every  religious  body.  Go 
Jo  New  York  and  you  will  find  the  luxurious  seats  in 
•he  great  churches  filled  by  men  who  have  cornered  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  draw  dividends  from  watered 
•tocks  that  compel  starvation  wages  to  such  as  we. 
Neither  priest  nor  parson  will  risk  his  comfortable  liv- 
ing by  going  contrary  to  the  sentiments  of  his  chiefest 
patrons.  I  am  glad  you  are  going  to  test  this  thing. 
It  will  be  worth  one  night  of  suffering  to  show  to  the 
world  what  Nineteenth  Century  Christianity  will  do  fof 
houseless  American  citizens.  If  we  were  Zulus  or  Fiji 
Islanders  I  should  have  no  fear  :  but  we  are  unfortun- 
ate in  our  race  and  color." 

"  We  will  try  them,"  said  Ellen,  simply.  "  If  they  fail 
us,  that  will  be  the  time  to  discuss  our  next  move. 
Have  you  heard  of  any  more  cases  of  extreme  destitu- 
tion ?" 

"  Yes,  there  are  several."  He  gave  her  a  list  which 
he  took  from  his  pocket.  "  But  you  must  not  try  to  do 
too  much  with  your  own  means.     You  have  no  right  to 


140  flPEAKINQ    OF    £LL£]!«. 

deprive  yourself  of  your  last  penny — money  you  hav« 

saved  by  the  most  stringent  economy.'' 

She  smiled  at  his  warning. 

**  You  are  not  the  one,  Hugh,  to  lecture  me  on  that 
score.  I  have  heard  what  you  have  been  doing  without 
calling  on  the  general  fund.  The  little  I  have  saved 
was  put  by  for  just  such  an  occasion  as  this,  and  if  I 
keep  back  any  of  it,  I  do  so  in  fear  of  a  greater  need  to 
come.     Did  you  see  the  agent  to-day  ?" 

Her  voice  lost  a  little  of  its  steadiness  as  she  pro- 
nounced the  words  *'  the  agent."  Its  tremor  was  not 
lost  on  Hugh. 

"  I  saw  him,"  he  replied,  "  and  said  you  entirely  repu- 
diated the  act  of  assaulting  his  messenger.  He  said  he 
was  glad  to  hear  it,  and  unless  a  second  one  was  dis- 
turbed should  take  no  steps  to  punish  the  infraction  of 
law.  The  corporation,  he  told  me,  wish  possession  of 
all  their  property  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 
Unless  there  are  indications  within  a  short  time  that  the 
ex-employes  have  undergone  a  radical  change  of  senti- 
ment, the  entire  plant  will  probably  be  turned  into 
macaroni  works,  to  be  run  by  Italian  labor.  'The  mill- 
hands  should  see  the  impossibility  of  winning  in  this 
contest,'  he  said.  *  There  is  no  law  to  compel  us  to  open 
the  mills.  If  they  wish  work,  why  do  they  not  try  other 
towns.  By  remaining  here  they  seem  to  set  us  at  defi- 
ance. I  can  assure  you  that,  unless  our  wheels  revolve 
by  the  first  day  of  November,  the  last  ounce  of  cotton 
has  been  spun  in  Riverfall."* 

As  Ellen  heard  him,  the  color  mounted  to  her  cheeks. 

"And  this  is  free  America  !"  she  exclaimed.  "  TLis  is 
the  land  where  the  all-powerful  ballot  secures  to  the 
humblest  citizen  the  right  to  dictate  laws  which  shall 
control  the  highest !    What    hiaders  the  son  of  labor 


IVS  agent's  C0N8TABLB.  141 

Irom  taking  peaceable  possession  of  his  own  '     He  out- 

nuD'.bers  the  capitalist  as  the  leaves  of  the  forest  out 
number  the  trees.  He  has  nothing  to  do  but  to  alter 
statute  laws  and  State  constitutions;  and  yet,  like 
another  Samson,  he  allows  Delilah  to  shear  him  of  his 
tresses  ;  He  labors  like  a  willing  slave  for  masters  that 
rest  in  comfort.  He  wears  fustian  that  they  may  be 
clothed  in  silk  and  velvet.  He  sleeps  in  a  hovel — oi,  if 
they  please  to  order  it,  in  the  open  air — that  they  may 
press  couches  of  down  in  frescoed  chambers.  He  dines 
on  common  food,  or,  it  may  be,  goes  hungry,  that  they 
may  taste  the  richest  products  of  the  earth.  And  this 
he  does  by  deliberate  choice,  with  the  weapon  of  deliv- 
erance always  within  his  grasp  !" 

Her  companion  was  carried  away,  as  he  had  often 
i^^en  before,  by  her  fervor. 

"Not  by  violence  shall  the  end  come  !"  she  continued 
"There  is  no  need  to  shed  a  drop  of  blood,  nor  inflicv 
*  bruise.  We  will  have  neither  the  torch  of  the  incen- 
Jiiary,  nor  the  bullet  of  the  assassin.  Let  us.  who  would 
invoke-  the  law,  show  our  respect  for  it.  The  autumn 
election  is  near  at  hand.  In  all  labor  centres  we  must 
nirge  the  selection  of  our  friends  to  seats  at  the  State 
House,  f  have  no  vote — the  capitalists  have  a  well- 
e^rounded  fear  of  what  my  sex  would  do  in  legislation — 
but  you  and  such  as  you  must  be  at  work.  The  specta- 
cle of  two  thousand  workmen  and  their  dependents, 
though  willing  to  labor  at  half-decent  wages,  depending 
Dn  public  aid,  ought  to  have  a  powerful  effect  on  the 
::hoice  of  officials.  With  proper  men  in  the  House  and 
Senate  we  can  dictate  terms  to  our  late  employers." 

Hugh  engaged  to  set  about  the  work  with  vigor,  and 
rosv.  to  take  his  departure. 

'*  \  heard    that  some  of  the  men  came  very  near  as* 


I4S  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

faulting  Converse  this  morning,"  she  said,  at  the  doot. 
"What  was  the  matter?  When  I  asked  the  little  French 
girl  across  the  hall,  she  told  me  he  said  something  about 
me,  but  would  not  repeat  the  words." 

Mayfield  gazed  earnestly  into  her  eyes  before  he  an. 
swered.  She  was  very  tired,  and  alraaay  had  troubles 
enough  to  bear.  But  he  knew  Ellen  so  well,  and  he 
thought  she  ought  to  know.  He  made  a  quick  decision, 
and  told  her  the  direct  truth. 

"  Do  you  wish  very  much  to  hear  it  ?  He  said  Philip 
Westland  was  your  lover." 

The  door  opened  and  closed  behind  him.  And  Ellen 
stood  there  for  a  long  time,  with  her  hand  pressed  ta 
her  heart,  wondering  what  could  have  hurt  her  so,  and 
whether  the  pain  wou^d  ever  cease. 


CHAPTER   .XII. 

THE   "mill-hand's"    ERRAV^ 

Philip  Westland,  Ralph  and  Edna  Melbourg  were  tak« 
ing  breakfast  in  the  cosily-appointed  dining-room  of  the 
Agency.  The  agent  was  dividing  his  time  between  the 
edibles,  his  companions,  and  the  Riverfall  Daily  News 
which  he  had  folded  and  placed  on  the  table  in  a  posi- 
tion convenient  for  reading  the  latest  comments  on  the 
labor  situation.  At  times  he  would  read  a  paragraph 
aloua,  to  the  evident  entertainment  of  his  hearers.  Foi 
example- 


THE  "mill- hand's"  e&rahd.  14S 

•*  The  last  of  the  eviction  notices  were  served  by  the 
forporation  constable  yesterday.  Next  Monday  those 
first  notified  will  be  expected  to' vacate,  and  all  the  cor- 
poration buildings  will  probably  be  tenantless  before 
the  following  Saturday  night.  We  do  not  learn  of  any 
real  interference  with  the  messenger  who  did  the  work, 
after  the  first  day,  though  his  ears  must  have  tingled  if 
he  paid  attention  to  the  uncomplimentary  remarks  that 
greeted  him  on  every  side. 

•*The  town  authorities  have  been  appealed  to  by  a 
consmittee  of  the  employes  to  provide  shelter  for  the 
families  as  fast  as  they  are  turned  out  of  doors,  but,  so 
far  as  is  known,  no  action  has  been  taken.  The  officials 
seem  fearful  of  offending  the  agent  of  the  corporation, 
and  they  are  said  to  be  in  a  quandary.  If  the  town  fails 
to  do  its  duty  and  loss  of  life  results^  some  one  will  have 
a  heavy  responsibility  to  answer  for.  A  great  corpora- 
tion may  be  able  to  close  the  doors  of  five  hundred 
dwellings  to  the  men,  women  and  children  who  have 
helped  it  to  amass  its  millions,  but  there  can  be  no  ex- 
cuse for  the  public  officers  if  they  neglect  to  take  every 
means  to  care  for  the  public  wards. 

"  A  News  reporter  interviewed  Agent  Westland  yes. 
terday,  but  found  that  gentleman  in  an  uncommunica- 
tiye  mood.  All  he  would  say  was  that  he  was  acting 
with  the  knowledge  and  approval  of  the  board  of  di- 
rectors. The  late  employes  of  the  Great  Central  hav- 
ing left  work  voluntarily,  and  remained  out  for  nearly 
six  weeks,  the  corporation  deemed  itself  justified  in 
taking  entire  possession  of  its  property.  It  was  for 
those  who  had  advised  two  thousand  persons  to  quit 
the  work  which  gave  them  a  livelihood  to  counsel  them 
in  this  emergency.  The  agent  seemed  to  speak  with- 
out the  least  temper,  and  said  he  was  merely  doing  as  any 
business  man  would  under  the  same  circumstances." 

Westland  looked  up,  after  reading  the  last  paragraph, 
tad  ritmarked : 


144:  SPEAKING    OP   ELLEN. 

"  That  reporter  has  succeeded  very  w  .II  in  stating  my 
views  ;  much  better  than  some  of  the  Boston  and  Nev« 
York  men  did.  It  is  a  plain  business  matter  and  nothing 
else.  Why,  there  are  not  two  sides  to  it.  The  houses 
are  owned  by  the  corporation,  built  for  the  purpose  of 
accommodating  their  employes.  When  the  people  cease 
to  serve  the  corporation,  they  ought  to  leave  its  buildings 
without  waiting  for  a  request.  Can  any  one  doubt 
that  ?" 

He  seemed  to  address  his  query  to  Ralph,  who  fid- 
getted  in  his  chair  before  replying. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  all  right,  Phil,  as  you  say,"  he  said, 
'*  but  there  is  something  confounded  unpleasant  to  me 
in  an  eviction.  Here  are  hundreds  of  families  given 
only  seven  days  notice  to  get  out  of  places  they  have 
for  a  long  time  been  led  to  consider  their  homes.  It  is 
all  right,  of  course,  but— hang  it !— it  is  not  agree- 
able !'• 

The  agent  frowned  a  little  at  the  picture. 

**  Every  one  of  them,*'  said  he,  "  owes  more  than  8 
month's  rent.  And  every  one  could  have  had  steady 
employment  if  he  had  chosen  to  listen  to  common  sense 
instead  of  to — " 

"  Ellen  ?"  suggested  Ralph,  as  Westland  paused  for  a 
word. 

"To  labor  agitators,"  said  the  agent,  supplying  the 
needed  syllables.  "  All  of  the  inconveniences  they  may 
suffer  they  have  brought  upon  themselves.  They  have 
still  plenty  of  time  to  send  a  committee  to  me  and  offer  to 
resume  work  at  the  revised  schedule,  before  a  soul  of 
them  is  ousted  from  his  tenement.  But  they  won't  do 
it.  They  have  lost  all  reason,  and  seem  to  follow  blindly 
everything  suggested  by — " 

"Ellen,"  said  Ralph  again,  to  help  him  out. 


THE   "  MILL-HAJTD's  "    EEEJLBTO.  145 

Their  leaders.  If  I  were  to  give  up  to  them  now  it 
VKmld  be  equivalent  to  an  admission  that  the  work-people 
of  this  country  are  henceforth  to  rule  the  manufacturers. 
Their  arrogance  after  that  would  become  unbearable 
It  is  the  old  question — begging  your  pardon,  Edna — 
whether  the  tail  shall  wag  the  dog.  Now,  I  will  see 
every  shuttle  and  bobbin  buried  a  thousand  feet  beneath 
the  soil  of  Riverfall  before  it  shall  ever  be  said  that  was 
done  under  my  administration  !" 

He  turned  to  Miss  Melbourg. 

"What  do  you  think  ?  You  are  strangely  taciturn  of 
latOw     Have  you  any  new  opinions  on  the  situation.?" 

The  blind  girl  was  a  little  agitated  at  this  unexpected 
question. 

"  It  does  seem  hard,  as  Ralph  says,"  was  her  reply, 
"  to  turn  so  many  people  into  the  street;  but  I  have  no 
doubt  it  is  necessary,  or  you  would  not  do  it.  Oh,  yes, 
I  am  sure  it  m*iet  be  !" 

Westland  had  finished  his  repast,  for  which  he  did  not 
have  that  morning  his  usual  appetite.  He  pushed  back 
his  chair  from  the  table,  and  spoke  with  earnestness. 

"  Here  is  my  situation,  Edna.  I  am  trustee  of  your 
father's  estate,  which  has  $400,000  invested  in  the  Great 
Central  mills.  I  have  a  large  part  of  my  own  means 
(though  that  is  a  minor  consideration)  in  the  same  securi- 
ties. By  vote  of  the  directors  I  have  been  ordered  to 
crush  this  rising  spirit  of  insubordination  which  attempts 
to  dictate  to  us  what  wages  we  shall  pay,  regardless  of 
the  state  of  the  market,  or  whether  the  men  who  furnish 
the  capital  are  to  have  a  penny  of  dividend.  Were  these 
workmen  to  meet  us  as  individuals  we  should  have  no 
trouble.  If  a  spinner  asked  for  more  pay  and  was  refused, 
he  could  go  elsewhere  and  our  business  would  suffer  Q9 
disturbance.  But  tbey  have  combined  to  resist  us  at  erary 


146  spEAsma  of  xllobt. 

point-    Unless  we  take  orders  from  them,  out  will  go  the 
entire  parcel,  and  our  mills  must  shut  down  until  they 
take  a  notion  to  return.     Socialist  doctrines  are  spread- 
ing all  over  the  country.     Not  only  has  the  mill  businesa 
been  made  precarious,  but  it  is  nothing  uncommon  for  a 
strike  to  tie  up  the  railroads,  or  suspend  the  production  ol 
a  great  staple  like  coal  or  iron.  The  capitalists  must  make 
a  stand  or  they  are  ruined.     In  a  few  years,  at  the  rate 
we  have  been  going,  we  shall  be  liable  to  have  our  throats 
cut  and  the  roofs  burned  over  our  heads,  as  at  the  servile 
insurrection  in  Hayti.     There  is  literally  no  end  to  the 
demands  of  these  so-called  'reformers.'     I  have  watched 
them  in  several  of   the  trades  where  they  have  gaii>ed  a 
foothold,   getting  an  inch  this   year  and  asking  aia  ell 
next.     The  brickmasons   that  we  employed  on  our  Jast 
extension  would  only  work  eight  hours  a  day,  and  the 
contractor  informed  me  that  he  was  paying  them  more 
for  the  eight  hours  than  he  used  to  give  for  ten.     The 
carpenters  quit  at  five  o'clock  each  afternoon,  no  matt«^r 
how  much  the  work  needed  to  be  hastened.     Why,  even 
the  newsboys   and  bootblacks  are  having  th<:ir  union-?, 
with  a  ritual  fit  for  a  Scottish  Rite  chapter.     Within  six 
jionths  I  have  walked  down  town  because  all  the  street 
jar  and  '  L  '  road  men  were  on  strike,  and  a  carriage  could 
,i0t  be  had  for  love  or  money.     I  believe  the  cooks  and 
^chambermaids  will  organize  next.     Backed  by  my  direc- 
tors, I  propose  to   show  the  world  one  place  where  the 
capitalists  decline  to  be  trodden  under  foot.    Proceeding 
\o  extremes  is  not  pleasant,  but  it  must  be  done.     If  a 
joachman    peremptorily  refused  to  drive  my  horsw,  I 
wbould  not  continue  to  keep  him  on  my  premises.     AwJ 
^  not  him,  why  these  other  people  ?" 
As  she  made  no  answer,  he  added  : 


THB    "  ICILL-HAKD^S  "    KRKAND.  147 

"Vou  have  something  on  your  mind,  Edna.     What  is 

it?" 

A  servant  entered  and  announced  : 

"Mr.  Hugh  Mayfield." 

The  cousins  arose  to  leave  the  room,  but  Westland 
stopped  them. 

"  I  would  like  to  have  you  both  remain,  if  you  are 
willing.  There  can  be  no  secrets  between  Hugh  and 
me. 

The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  the  party  had  assumed 
its  former  appearance  when  Hugh  was  ushered  into  the 
room.  The  "mill-hand"  evinced  slight  surprise  when 
he  noted  the  presence  of  the  agent's  guests  but,  though 
no  scion  of  wealth,  he  had  the  manners  of  a  true  gentle- 
man, and  responded  politely  to  the  introductions  that 
followed.  He  had  heard  of  the  misfortune  of  Miss  Mel- 
bourg,  and  the  expression  which  he  cast  upon  her  was 
one  of  profound  pity.  But  he  did  not  long  delay  pro- 
ceeding to  the  business  that  brought  him  to  the  Agency. 

"  Mr.  Westland,  some  of  the  members  of  a  committee 
which  has  been  delegated  to  speak  for  all  the  late 
employes  of  your  mills  have  asked  me  to  put  a  question 
to  you  which  I  myseif  believe  to  be  superfluous.  To 
oblige  them  I  have  consented  to  ask  it,  though  I  am 
sure  I  can  predict  your  answer.  They  wish  to  know  if 
there  is  any  possibility  that  the  evictions  will  be  delayed 
beyond  the  dates  specified  in  the  notices." 

**  No ;  not  for  an  hour,"  was  the  calm  reply. 

"I  thought  so,"  said  Hugh.  "Now,  there  are  not 
half  a  dozen  empty  houses  in  Riverfall  that  can  be  hired, 
were  our  people  ever  so  able  to  pay  rent,  which — as  you 
know — they  are  not.  We  have  applied  to  the  authori- 
Ciet  for  leave  to  use  the  public  buildings,  but  they  n'ove 
slowly.    It  is  thought  they  fear  to  •fieod  you  by  i  »»^ 


148  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN- 

friendly  attitude  toward  us.  The  nights  are  cold,  an4 
daily  growing  colder.  It  would  be  uncomfortable,  not 
to  say  dangerous,  to  remain  out  of  doors  in  this  weather. 
Should  worse  come  to  worst  and  we  find  ourselves  in  the 
streets  in  inclement  weather,  would  the  doors  of  your 
houses  be  closed  against  us  ?" 

When  he  ceased,  it  seemed  as  if  a  feather  falling  on 
one  of  the  velvet  rugs  would  have  jarred  the  building, 
Edna  leaned  forward  in  her  chair  with  strained  atten* 
tion.  Ralph  seemed  hardly  to  breathe.  Then  West- 
/and's  answer  came  out  with  that  distinctness  which 
one  notes  on  the  first  frosty  mornings  of  winter  in  the 
midst  of  pine  woods. 

"  Hugh,"  he  said,  "for  I  will  still  call  you  by  that 
name,  in  the  old  familiar  fashion,  the  people  of  River- 
fall  are  not  children.  All  they  have  done  and  may  do  in 
reference  to  the  present  trouble  are  their  deliberate  acts. 
They  need  not  have  left  the  mills  ;  they  need  not  have  so 
treated  the  Great  Central  Corporation — whose  bread 
they  have  eaten  for  years — that  the  evictions  became 
necessary.  It  is  not  I  who  am  turning  you  out  of  doors, 
it  is  yourselves.  Late  as  it  is  you  could  yet  secure  a 
reversal  of  the  order  by  sending  a  committee  here,  not 
to  argue,  but  to  declare  a  desire  to  resume  work.  I  have 
stayed  here  ever  since  the  strike  began,  ready  to  treat 
with  anybody  who  desired  it,  but  not  one  person  has 
Oeen  to  me  with  a  proposition.  The  friendly  relations 
that  existed  between  employers  and  employed  have 
given  place  to  those  that  govern  bcligereats." 

Mayfield  bowed  gravely. 

"  Your  reply  is  precisely  what  I  expected  and  I  will 
convey  it  to  my  associates." 

••  I  should  be  glad,"  said  Westland,  hesitating  for  suit 
able  wordi  in  which  to  couch  the  kiea  he  hsd  to  roind. 


THE    "mill-hand's*'    ERftASB^  149 

"to  make  personal  exceptions  of  yc.irself  and  Ellen 
to  any  of  these  rigors.  This  house  is  cordially  open  to 
both  of  you  at  any  time." 

Hugh's  resolve  to  repress  all  evidences  of  impatience 
experienced  a  severe  test,  but  he  answered,  quietly  ; 

"What  I  have  advised  my  comrades  to  endure  will 
be  good  enough  for  me.  As  far  as  the  proposition  re- 
fers to  Ellen,  I  will  tell  her  of  your  offer." 

Westland  flushed  violently. 

"My  intention  was  an  honest  one,"  he  said,  "but  as 
her  decision  would  undoubtedly  be  influenced  by  your 
own,  I  will  ask  you  not  to  say  anything  to  her  on  the 
subject.  It  is  one  of  the  unpleasant  consequences  of  my 
position  that  I  cannot  divide  my  duty  as  an  official  from 
my  feelings  as  a  man  and  a  friend." 

"I  might  say — "  began  Hugh  ;  and  then  he  hesitated. 

"  Well }"  asked  Westland,  encouraginglj'. 

"  I  might  say  that  I  cannot  conceive  of  a  duty  that 
should  destroy  one's  sentiments  as  a  man.  Or,  in  other 
words,  how  a  man  of  true  sentiments  could  consent  to 
accept  an  official  position  not  in  consonance  with  them." 

He  arose  at  that,  bowed  politely  to  Ralph  and  Edna, 
said  his  good-bys  and  was  gone.  Westland  waited  a  long 
time  for  some  one  to  speak,  hut  he  waited  in  vain.  He 
made  a  poor  assumption  of  cheerfulness,  left  his  chair, 
lit  a  cigar  and  strolled  out  into  the  garden. 

When  he  had  been  gone  a  little  while  Edna  spoke  : 

"I  suppose  it  is  wrong,  cousin,  but  my  sympathies  are 
very  strongly  excited  for  Mr.  Mayfield's  friends.  I  think 
Philip  is  right,  as  the  law  goes,  but  the  result  will  be 
terrible.  It  is  a  case  where  one  can  hardly  tell  what  to 
do,  but  of  one  thing  we  can  be  certain.  There  will  be 
suffering  before  it  is  over,  and  the  funds  of  the  poor  will 
run  very  low."     She  took  out  her  purse.     "Would  you 


/{K>  SPEAKING  OF  BLLE9. 

be  so  kind  as  to  take  some  money  to  Mr.  Mayfield  fof 
me,  to  use  where  he  thinks  it  needed  most?  I  can  do 
tnat  without  feeling  that  it  places  me  in  opposition  to 
Philip,  and  it  may  do  much  good." 

Ralph  willingly  complied. 

"  How  much  shall  I  take  ?"  he  inquired. 

**  Oh,  a  hundred  dollars  to  begin  with,  and  tell  him  he 
snail  have  more  if  he  wants  it.  Let  him  understand  that 
ii  he  needs  as  much  again,  or  ten  times  as  much,  he  has 
only  to  come  here  and  ask.    How  long  shall  you  be  gone  ?" 

Her  cousin  started  at  the  question. 

"  Why,  is  there  any  hurry  ?" 

*'  Yes  ;  it  may  soften  his  feelings  toward  us." 

"  But  he  seemed  very  gentle,  I  thought,"  said  Ralph. 

The  blind  girl  sighed  deeply. 

"  Ah  !  You  people  who  see  1  How  little  you  under- 
stand !  He  is  the  most  depressed  man  I  ever  heard 
speak.  His  words  were  polite  enough  to  the  ear,  but  I 
could  detect  the  biting  irony  in  every  line.  He  con- 
siders us  wretches  who  are  crushing  him  and  his  fellows 
for  our  own  brutal  pleasure.  Did  what  he  said  deceive 
you?     It  made  me  tremble." 

An  hour  later  Ralph  found  Hugh,  and  did  his  errand. 

"  I  will  take  your  money  and  message  to  the  commit- 
tee," said  Mayfield,  "  but  I  cannot  guarantee  that  they 
will  accept  it." 

"  Not  accept  it !"  echoed  Ralph,  in  the  utmost  aston- 
ishment. 

"Possibly.  We  shall  be  in  want  of  money,  but  we 
may  not  like  to  accept  charity  from  those  who  are  re- 
sponsible for  our  present  condition.  If  it  were  for  me 
to  decide  alone,  I  am  sure  that  would  be  my  verdict 
However,  I  will  leave  it  to  the  others,  uninfluenced  by 
anything  of  my  own,  and  abide  by  their  judgmenL" 


THB   "  lOLL-HAJro's  **    ERRAITDl  15  J 

Ralph  took  another  hundred  from  his  own  pocket-book, 
and  placed  both  of  them  in  Mayfield's  hand. 

"  Add  that  to  it  from  myself,"  he  said,  "  and  I  mos' 
earnestly  trust  you  will  accept  both." 

That  evening  Hugh  called  at  the  Agency  and  asked 
to  see  Mr.  Melbourg.  Ralph  happened  to  be  out  at  the 
time,  and  the  caller  then  requested  to  see  Miss  Edna. 
He  was  shown  into  the  parlor,  and  soon  she  came 
toward  him,  groping  her  way  after  the  manner  of  the 
blind. 

"  Miss  Melbourg,"  he  said,  rising. 

*'  Mr.  Mayfield,  I  am  glad  to  welcome  you  here  again. 
Please  be  seated." 

Her  voice  was  unsteady,  and  his  hardly  less  so  as  he 
proceeded  : 

"  You  were  kind  enough  to  send  some  money  this 
morning  for  the  use  of  our  committee — " 

"A  trifle,"  she  interrupted. 

"  Which  they  have  directed  me  to  return  to  you." 

Edna  was  a  woman,  and  the  result  was  a  great  disap- 
pointment to  her.  She  found  the  tears  coursing  down 
her  cheeks,  much  to  her  embarassment,  before  this 
young  stranger. 

"  Here  is  your  gift,  and  also  Mr.  Melbourg's,  which 
you  will  permit  me  to  leave  with  you,"  he  went  on,  as 
well  as  he  could.  "  You  will  spare  me,  I  trust,  giving 
the  reasons  that  have  actuated  us  in  our  decision. 
These  are  times  when  ordinary  rules  cannot  be  consid- 
ered." 

She  was  quite  crushed,  but  managed  to  stammer  that 
she  was  sure  he  and  his  friends  had  done  what  they 
thought  right  •  that  she  had  meant  to  do  them  a  kind- 
ness  ;  and  that  they  would  continue  to  receive  her  deep 


152  SPEAKING   OF  ELLEN. 

sympathy,  which  they  could  not  reject.     Then  he  bade 

her  a  kind  good-evening. 

When  Ralph  came  home  she  told  him,  and  he  was  not, 
on  the  whole,  greatly  surprised.  Westland  listened  with 
wide-open  eyes  when  he  heard  of  it,  but  said  nothing. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

IK   AN   ARMED  CAMP. 

Nathalie  awoke  in  her  little  chamber  in  the  corpora" 
tion  lodging-house  at  Riverfall,  and  saw  the  sun  peeping 
in  at  the  east  window.  Miss  Flaherty,  her  room-mate, 
was  still  wrapped  in  slumber,  and  her  honest  Irish  face 
lay,  with  the  rosy  hue  of  youth  and  health  upon  it,  on 
the  coarse  pillow.  It  was  the  morning  when  this  partic- 
ular building  must  be  vacated,  according  to  a  notice 
tacked  on  the  door.  "  You  will  render  up  the  said 
premises  before  twelve  o'clock  at  noon,  under  the  usual 
penalties."  And  after  that,  what  ?  After  the  meagre 
furniture,  and  the  girls'  trunks  containing  their  clothing, 
and  the  girls  themselves,  had  been  placed  in  the  public 
street — what  then  ? 

Nathalie  pondered  a  good  deal  over  this  conundrum, 
but  she  felt  no  uneasiness.  Would  not  Ellen  be  there  to 
direct  everything?  She  had  the  fullest  confidence  in  the 
ability  of  the  Marchioness  to  bring  them  out  all  right 
in  the  end. 

There  was  a  slight  tap  at  the  entrance,  a  tripping  of 
small  feet  in  that  direction,  a  whispered  "  Who  is  it  ?" 
and    an   answer  that    satisfied    her.      The   French   giri 


IN   AN   ARMED    CAKP.  158 

opened  the  door,  and  found  the  object  of  her  thoughts 
on  the  threshold.  Ellen  glanced  in  and  saw  that  Miss 
Flaherty  was  still  asleep.  Then  she  bade  Nathalie  throw 
a  shawl  over  her  head,  and  accompany  her  across  the 
entry  to  her  own  rooms. 

Ellen  was  fully  dressed,  and  bore  no  special  mark  of 
the  great  responsibility  that  had  been  thrown  upon  her 
shoulders,  other  than  a  deepening  of  the  earnest  look  ia 
her  dark  eyes.  The  French  girl  seated  herself  upon  the 
bed,  and,  for  greater  comfort,  drew  the  outer  coverlet 
over  her  bare  feet.  She  knew  that  Ellen  had  not  called 
her  without  having  a  reason,  and  waited  with  becoming 
patience  to  have  it  made  known. 

"  By  noon  more  than  a  hundred  families  in  Riverfall 
will  be  homeless,"  began  Ellen.  "The  authorities  have 
not  yet  given  us  permission  to  occupy  the  public  build- 
ings, but  I  have  no  doubt  they  will  do  so  when  the 
emergency  is  actually  upon  them.  I  want  you  to  keep 
within  call  all  day,  ready  to  execute  my  orders  with  all 
possible  dispatch.  I  have  selected  you  out  of  all  the 
girls  here,  because  I  have  such  perfect  confidence  in  your 
judgment  and  integrity." 

Nathalie  could  not  have  defined  all  of  the  words  that 
Ellen  used,  but  she  knew  she  was  receiving  complimenta 
that  she  was  far  from  deserving,  and  the  tears  filled  her 
eyes. 

"  I  will  do  whatever  you  tell  me,"  she  said,  earnestly. 
•*  I  have  not  always  been  a  good  girl,  but  you  may  trust 
me  to  be  true  to  you.  Only,  it  seems  as  if  I  could  do 
very  little." 

"There  is  a  man,"  Ellen  proceeded,  quietly,  "who  will 
allow  us  to  store  things  in  his  sheds  until  something  bet- 
ter offers.  His  name  is  Donavan,  and  his  teams  will  come 
lor  the  goods  as  soon  as  we  are  ready  for  him.     But  if 


I9f  SPEAKntO   OF   ELLEir. 

we  sleep  to-night  in  the  town  buildings^-or  out  of  doors— 
we  shall  need  such  things  as  mattresses  and  bedding.  I 
will  give  you  a  quantity  of  tags  to  mark  such  articles 
with  their  owners'  names,  so  they  will  not  get  lost  in  the 
crush.  If  we  find  that  we  are  short  of  these  comforts 
when  night  comes,  those  of  us  who  are  young  and  strong 
will  lend  ours  to  the  weaker  ones." 

Nathalie  assented. 

"  Hugh  and  some  of  the  men  whom  he  has  selected  will 
see  to  the  distributions,  but  the  women  must  do  most  of 
the  cooking.  Certain  kitchen  utensils  will  therefore  have 
to  be  reserved,  and  these  must  also  be  marked.  All  who  are 
keeping  house  have  agreed  to  give  to  the  committee 
whatever  is  left  in  their  pantries,  for  the  general  use. 
What  money  we  have  we  shall  make  last  as  long  as  we 
can.  When  it  is  gone  the  town  must  aid  us.  It  cannot 
let  us  starve." 

After  further  conversation,  in  which  more  minute  par* 
ticulars  were  given,  Nathalie  went  back  to  her  own  room 
to  dress.  Miss  Flaherty  had  already  arisen,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  packing  her  things  for  removal.  Nathalie  pro- 
ceeded to  do  the  same,  and  the  two  girls  discussed  the 
situation  as  they  worked.  Neither  of  them  knew  what 
to  think  of  the  prospect,  but  both  had  complete  confi- 
dence in  their  leader.  The  ship  on  which  they  were 
about  to  embark  had  to  them  but  one  word  on  her — 
"Ellen." 

By  noon  the  last  articles  in  the  houses  that  were  to  be 
vacated  that  day  had  been  taken  out  of  doors.  The  con- 
stable who  came  at  one  o'clock  to  lock  up  and  take  the 
keys  saw  a  strange  sight  along  the  sidewalk.  House- 
hold goods  were  piled  to  the  curbstones  for  many  rods. 
Women  and  children,  some  on  chairs,  others  on  mattresses, 
were  discussing  the  prospect  for  the  next  night's  lodgings 


Dl   AN   ASMED   GAMP.  IM 

Frugal  meals  were  being  served  in  the  most  primitive 
style.  Several  of  the  little  ones  were  crying  dismally,  as  if 
from  a  foreknowledge  that  the  evictions  boded  dreadfuj 
consequences  to  them.  One  or  two  aged  grandams  com* 
plained  in  a  high  key  that  they  were  taken  from  com- 
fortable rooms  and  pitched  like  loads  of  coal  into  the 
gutter.  But  most  of  the  dispossessed  were  strangely — 
almost  suspiciously — passive.  And  so  the  constable 
reported,  that  afternoon,  to  Westland. 

The  agent  did  not,  himself,  go  down  town.  He  could 
imagine  how  things  looked  there  without  an  ocular  demon- 
Btration.  He  stayed  at  the  Agency,  thinking  he  might 
have  a  call  from  some  committee  or  other  body  of  citi- 
zens, and  not  wishing  to  be  found  away  from  his  post. 
And  he  was  not  mistaken.  About  four  o'clock  his  bell 
rang,  and  a  moment  later  a  servant  entered  the  draw- 
ing-room to  say  that  a  delegation  of  his  ex-employes  was 
outside,  and  desired  to  see  him. 

"  Ask  them  to  come  in,"  he  said. 

But  the  servant  returned  after  delivering  this  request 
with  the  information  that  the  delegation  did  not  wish  to 
enter,  and  would  like  to  have  him  come  to  the  door,  A 
momentary  suspicion  of  foul  play  crossed  his  mind,  but 
he  would  not  yield  to  it.  Mastering  his  feelings,  he  arose 
and  went  out  on  the  front  piazza,  where  he  found  ten  or 
twelve  persons,  among  whom  he  noticed  at  the  first 
glance  Ellen  and  Hugh. 

"My  friends,"  he  said,  in  a  firm  voice,  "I  am  told  that 
you  wish  to  see  me,  and  refuse  to  enter  my  house.  I 
presume  you  are  a  committee  of  the  ex-employes  of  the 
Great  Central  mills.  If  this  be  so,  I  would  like  to  ask 
why  you  decline  to  confer  with  me  in  my  office,  where 
you  and  your  associates  have  so  often  been  for  similar 
purposes  ?  " 


156  6PBAEINO  07  BLLiai. 

There  was  a  pause,  and  all  the  other  members  of  th« 
committee  looked  to  Ellen.  When  she  raised  her  beauti- 
ful eyes  to  meet  those  of  the  agent,  they  affected  him 
powerfully.  For  an  instant  his  gaze  was  withdrawn  from 
the  group,  and  he  lost  his  equanimity. 

"  Having  been  consigned,  sir,"  she  said,  in  her  ordinary 
tone,  but  with  deep  earnestness,  "to  the  streets  of  River- 
fall,  by  the  order  of  Agent  Westland,  we  would  not  pre- 
sume to  intrude  upon  the  floor  of  his  home.  If  the  out- 
door air  is  good  enough  for  us  to  spend  the  day  in,  it 
should  suffice  for  the  brief  interview  which  we  desire. 
By  your  direction  nearly  five  hundred  persons  are  house- 
less. Many  of  them  are  weak  women  and  helpless 
children.  A  night  in  the  open  air  would  be  injurious, 
possibly  fatal,  to  some  of  them.  The  town  authorities 
have  not  yet  consented  to  allow  us  shelter.  We  have 
heard  that  their  hesitation  is  from  fear  of  offending  so 
powerful  a  personage  as  yourself.  We  come  to  ask  if 
Agent  Westland  has  intimated  a  wish  that  the  people  of 
Riverfall  shall  find  to-night  not  only  their  late  homes  but 
the  public  edifices  closed  against  them  ?" 

The  agent  had  time  to  collect  himself  during  this  state- 
ment, and  when  he  replied  he  spoke  like  a  man  of  iron. 

"  Agent  Westland  does  not  understand  by  what  right 
your  committee  assumes  to  question  him.  After  your 
people  had  deserted  their  places  in  the  mills  for  six  weeks, 
after  most  of  them  were  in  arrears  for  over  a  month's 
rent,  he  asked  possession  of  his  houses.  Not  one  of  the 
men  for  whom  you  speak  cared  enough  about  retaining 
his  home  to  come  and  seek  the  employment  that  has 
never  yet  been  refused  him.  To-day  part  of  the  build- 
ings have  been  given  up  to  their  owners,  and,  I  am  glad 
to  learn,  in  a  peaceable  manner.  Before  the  end  of  the 
week  the  rest  will,    I  trust,  be  vacated.     I  am  not  as 


nr  Air  abmvd  oaiu  107 

official  of  your  town,  but  only  of  the  mill  corporation,  and 
my  interest  ceases  when  its  commands  are  obeyed," 

Ellen  heard  him  without  taking  her  eyes  from  his  face, 

"  May  we  say  to  the  town  officials  that  Agent  Westland 
does  not  object  to  their  giving  shelter  to  his  ex-em- 
ployes ? " 

He  answered  her  without  moving  a  muscle, 

"  I  shall  be  here,  as  I  have  been  for  the  past  six  weeks, 
ready  to  transact  business  with  allcomers.  If  your  com- 
mijttee  has  any  proper  question  to  ask  me  in  reference  to 
the  attitude  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation,  it  will  find 
me  ready.  But  if  the  town  authorities  of  Riverfall  are  in 
ignorance  o-f  their  duty,  which  I  should  hesitate  to  be- 
lieve, they  must  apply  elsewhere  than  to  me — either  in 
person  or  by  proxy — for  the  information." 

As  he  closed,  the  faint  sound  of  a  shouting  crowd  came 
borne  on  the  air  from  the  direction  of  the  railroad  station, 
mingled,  it  seemed,  with  the  just  discernible  beating  of 
drums.  The  conference  was  suspended  in  the  curiosity 
felt  by  all  at  this  unexpected  occurrence.  Westland  left 
the  piazza,  and  accompanied  the  committee  to  the  street, 
where  they  could  see,  first,  a  large  number  of  boys,  run- 
ning backward  and  forward  across  the  highway  ;  then,  a 
rush  of  people  on  both  of  the  sidewalks  ;  and  then,  in  the 
middle  of  the  street,  a  drum-corps  and  a  body  of  militia — 
the  entire  party  marching  in  tlieir  direction.  A  few 
minutes  later  several  companies  of  soldiers  were  halted 
in  front  of  the  Agency  by  their  commander,  who  imme- 
diately came  toward  Westland,  and  politely  asked  to  see 
him  in  private. 

The  crowd,  now  numbering  half  the  population  of 
Riverfall,  pressed  forward  to  hear  what  was  said.  West- 
land  spoke  loud  enough  for  all  to  understand. 

"  You    can    have    no    private    conversation   with    me, 


15$  ePEASING    OF   ELLEN. 

Colonel  Caswell.  If  there  is  anything  to  be  said  to  m^ 
in  the  discharge  of  your  duty,  I  hope  every  person  hero 
will  have  as  good  an  opportunity  to  hear  it  as  I." 

A  murmur  of  approval  went  through  the  vast  assem- 
blage. The  mill  agent  was  not  a  popular  man  in  River- 
fall  that  day,  but  still  less  so  was  the  militia  colonel. 
The  sight  of  bayonets  has  exasperated  many  a  peaceably- 
disposed  crowd  before  now. 

"I  have  been  sent  here,"  said  Colonel  Caswell,  "by 
order  of  the  Governor,  upon  the  representation  that  the 
local  police  may  not  be  able  to  protect  the  town  and  mill 
property  during  the  next  few  days.  I  called  my  men 
together  very  hastily,  and  embarked  on  a  special  train. 
Arriving  at  the  station  I  was  advised  to  consult  you,  as 
representing  the  mills,  in  reference  to  the  best  points  to 
place  my  companies." 

All  eyes  were  turned  upon  Westland,  who  responded, 
with  dignity  : 

"  I  have  no  advice  or  suggestion  to  offer  to  you,  colonel 
As  the  presence  here  of  your  command  was  neither  re- 
quested nor  expected  by  me,  you  will  have  to  look  to 
those  who  sent  for  you.  It  may  not  be  deemed  gratui- 
tous for  me  to  say,  however,  that  I  am  entirely  unaware 
of  any  emergency  that  should  make  the  police  likely  to 
require  your  assistance.  The  people  here  seem  to  me 
perfectly  quiet  and  orderly.  If  they  have  been  otherwise, 
the  fact  has  not  come  under  my  observation." 

Colonel  Caswell  bowed  politely. 

*'  My  only  mission,"  he  said,  "  is  to  assist  the  local 
authorities  in  preserving  the  peace.  If  there  is  no  need 
of  my  services  I  shall  be  all  the  better  satisfied.  I  will 
now  present  myself  to  the  town  officials,  if  you  will 
kindly  direct  me  to  them." 

Westland  tjav*  the  required  direction,  the  drums  be* 


IN   Air   AKUED   CAMP.  }PI 

gan  to  sound  again,  and  the  colonel  marched  his  men 
toward  the  village,  with  half  the  populace  at  their  heels. 
"Allow  me  to  say,  sir,"  said  Ellen,  facing  the  agent 
once  more,  "  that  I  am  very  glad  to  learn  you  had  no 
part  in  the  perpetration  of  this  outrage." 
He  answered,  imperturbably  : 

"  While  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  I  cannot  agree 
with  you  in  the  term  you  use.     I  do  not  consider  it  an 
outrage  upon  a  law-abiding  people  to  have  a  body  of 
citizen  soldiery  sent  into  their  midst  with  no  other  mis- 
sion than  to  see  that  the  peace  is  preserved.     It  is  only 
to  those  who  either  are  or  intend  to  be  breakers  of  the 
law  that  the  military  is  a  menace.     Now,  before  you  go. 
let  me  say  another  word.     There  is  yet  time  for  the  late 
employes  of  the    Great    Central    Corporation   to  make 
overtures  looking   to  resumption  of  work  in  its  mills. 
Within  three  days,  if  you  say  the  word,  the  hum  of  indus- 
try can  be  heard  in   the   silent  walls,  and   the  empty  cor- 
poration dwellings  can  again  be  filled  with  their  tenants. 
The  time   in  which  this  may  be  done  is  growing  brief. 
In  less  than  a  fortnight  the  machinery  will  otherwise  be 
removed,  and  the  factories  will  be  devoted  to  other  uses. 
If  you  are   determined  to  destroy  Riverfall  as  a  cloth 
manufacturing  centre,  you  have  only  to  persist  in  your 
course  a  very  little  longer.     If  you  ever  intend  to  bring 
back  the  town  to   its  old  prosperity,  you  will  have  to 
move  in  the  matter  without  more  delay." 

Ellen's  voice  was  as  firm  as  ever  when  she  replied  : 
"We  left  the  Great  Central  mHIs  because  a  rate  of 
wages  that  barely  sufficed  to  support  existence  was 
about  to  be  reduced  still  lower.  If  the  corporation 
could  make  such  a  cut  as  this,  they  could  make  another 
after  that,  and  the  end  must  come  sometime." 

**  Permit  me  to  ask  in  what  respect  you  have  bettered 


160  SPEAKING   OF    ELLEK. 

yourselves?"  was  his  quiet  comment.  "You  say  you 
had  low  wages.  Admitted,  for  argument's  sake.  But 
what  have  you  now  ?  You  had  roofs  over  your  heads, 
food  in  5^our  larders,  money  coming  to  you  each  pay-day. 
You  have  exchanged  these — for  what  ?" 

*''  For  manhood  and  womanhood  !"  cried  the  girl,  with 
feeling.     "  We   were   never   created    for   slavery  !      The 
blood  in  our  veins  is  as  good  as  that  in  those  of  our  late 
masters  J      Our  bonds  were   unendurable  and,  like  the 
negro   who   fled    from   his    cabin    and    rations  into   the 
swamps  of  Georgia  or  Virginia,  we  prefer  death,  if  need 
be,  to  chattelhood  !     Mark  me,  Agent  Westland  !     The 
spectacle  of  these  poor  people,  driven   out  of  doors  in 
October    by    the  corporation  whose  wealth    they   have 
trebled,   will    have  its  effect    throughout   the  length  of 
America  !     The  bondman  will  rouse  himself  and  cast  off 
the  yoke  that  such  men  as  you  have  placed  upon  him  ! 
The  slow  brain  of  the  giant  Labor  is  awakening.     He 
will  not  long  suffer  himself  to  be  led   in  chains  by  the 
dwarf  Capital.     When  he  turns,  let  us  hope  that  in  his 
fury  he  does  not  quite  crush  the  life  out  of  his  oppressor  ! 
Let  us  hope  that  he  will  show  a  magnanimity  that  was 
never  shown  to  him  !     He  has  the  power  ;  all  he  lacks  is 
the  intelligence,  and   before  long  that  will  be  his.     We 
have  bowed    the  knee  in   the  past  ;   we  have  sued    for 
terms  ;  soon  we  will  dictate  them.     It  may  be  that  some 
of  us  who  stand  here  will  not  see  the  day,  but  it  is  com- 
ing.    The  dawn  of  it  can  be  plainly  discerned  in  the 
East.     The  Brotherhood  of  Man  will  soon  be  more  than 
the  mere  dream  of  enthusiasts.     It  will  become  a  glori- 
ous reality  !" 

She  turned  and,  followed  by  Hugh,  McNamara  and  the 
rest,  went  slowly  toward  the  village.  There  was  a  momen- 
lary  cry  of  disappointment  when   she  reported    to  the 


m  AIT   AKICED   CAMP.  101 

waiters  there  the  poor  result  of  her  mission,  but  no  voice 
plead  for  capitulation  when  she  related  the  agent's  pro- 
position for  a  resumption  of  work  at  the  cut  rates.  After 
a  brief  consultation,  it  was  settled  that  Ellen  and  Hugh 
should  make  a  visit  to  the  town  officials,  and  once  more 
demand  shelter  for  the  houseless  ones.  They  took  their 
way  accordingly  to  the  residence  of  the  chairman  of  the 
board,  and  were  about  to  pass  into  the  yard  when  they 
were  stopped  at  the  gate  by  a  soldier,  who  baxred  the 
way  with  his  musket. 

"  Halt  !"  he  said. 

They  halted,  and  Hugh,  somewhat  astonished,  stated 
their  desire  to  see  Chairman  Hunt.  The  soldier  called 
one  of  his  companions,  who  took  the  message  to  the  doot 
of  the  residence.  The  callers  now  saw  that  there  were  at 
least  a  dozen  militiamen  in  the  yard,  apparently  guard- 
ing the  house  on  all  sides.  In  a  short  time  Chairman 
Hunt  appeared,  looking  much  disturbed. 

"  How  do  you  do  ?"  he  said,  in  a  shaking  voice, 
"What  can  I  do  for  you  ?" 

"  It  is  almost  sundown,"  replied  Hugh,  who  by  Ellen's 
request  had  agreed  to  act  as  spokesman.  **  There  are 
nearly  five  hundred  people  out  of  doors  in  Riverfall.  If 
they  are  to  be  sheltered  for  the  night,  which  seems  likely 
to  be  a  cold  one,  no  time  should  be  lost.  We  appeal  to 
vou  again,  as  the  representative  of  the  citizens,  to  open 
the  public  buildings." 

Chairman  Hunt  cleared  his  throat  several  times  before 
he  could  answer.     Something  seemed  to  stick  there. 

"  My  associates,"  he  said,  at  last,  "at  our  meeting  this 
afternoon,  thought  we  had  no — no  right — to  put  the  town 
buildings  to — to  such  a  purpose.  They — the  buildings- 
have  recently  been  painted  and  repaired  at  much  expense 


epEAKINS    OF   ELLE9. 

They — they  ar«  :*ot  suited  to  the  purpose  of  a — a  ]odg< 
ing  house." 

Hugh  heard  h\ia  with  impatience. 

"  And  you  will  let  women  and  children  sleep  ki  the 
Streets  ?"  he  said. 

*'  There  is  yet  time,''  faltered  the  chairman,  "  to  see  the 
agent  and  get  back  into  his  houses — " 

"  At  his  terms  ?"  interrupted  Hugh,  with  set  teeth. 

"  Yes — at  his  terms."  assented  Mr.  Hunt,  eagerly. 
"You  could—" 

"You  will  refuse  to  let  us  in,  even  if  we  freeze  to 
death  ?  Is  that  your  final  decision  ?"  Hugh  broke  in, 
shsLvply. 

"  We — we  thought  best  not,"  stammered  the  chairman. 

The  pair  left  the  yard  without  another  word.  As  tkey 
were  walking  away  a  corporal  of  the  militia  joined  thee* 
and  touched  his  hat  to  Ellen. 

"  Excuse  me,"  he  said.  "  Though  I  may  seem  your 
enemy,  I  am  not  so.  As  a  soldier  I  must  obey  orders, 
but  I  wish  I  had  been  set  at  other  business  than  guarding 
the  house  of  this  heartless  old  fool.  He  is  afraid  some 
of  you  will  come  and  murder  him  in  his  sleep  to-night^ 
and  I  don't  believe  one  of  you  would  touch  him  with  a 
pair  of  tongs.  You  had  best  see  Colonel  Caswell.  He  if 
a  gentleman,  and  if  he  can  do  anything  for  you  he  will." 

They  thanked  him,  and  proceeded  on  their  way. 

"  Now,"  said  Ellen,  "  we  must  try  the  churches." 

A  sneer  crossed  Hugh's  lip,  but  as  she  did  not  look  at 
him  it  wasunperceived,  and  he  mastered  his  feelings  as 
well  as  he  could.  During  the  next  hour  they  visited 
three  clergymen,  all  of  whom  told  substantially  the  sam« 
story.  While  sympathizing  with  all  in  distress,  they 
had  no  power  to  open  their  churches  for  such  a  purpose. 
The  standing  committee,  or  the  wardens,  or  someone 


DT    AN    AKMED   CAAIP.  16S 

else,  had  the  right  to  do  that,  if  anybody,  and  a  regu- 
larly called  meeting  would  be  necessary  before  a  legal 
vote  on  the  subject  could  be  taken.  How  long  would  it 
take  to  get  the  wardens  together  ?  Well,  a  week's 
notice  was  provided  for  in  the  rules. 

When  they  returned  to  the  encampment  in  the  street, 
Colonel  Caswell  was  there  awaiting  them. 

"  My  position  here  is  a  delicate  one,"  said  the  colonel 
to  Ellen,  who  was  introduced  to  him  as  the  chief 
authority  on  the  part  of  the  strikers.  **  My  orders  are 
merely  to  co-operate  with  the  town  officials  in  the  preser- 
vation of  the  peace.  This  practically  places  me  under 
their  orders  until  I  hear  further  from  the  Governor  or 
adjutant-general.  I  understand  they  have  refused  you 
leave  to  enter  the  town  buildings,  and  at  their  request  I 
have  placed  a  strong  guard  around  each  building,  as 
well  as  at  the  residences  of  the  principal  officials.  But  I 
have  pitched  forty  tents  on  the  Common  for  the  use  of 
my  men,  and  these  are  at  my  own  disposal.  After  con- 
sultation with  my  officers  I  offer  you  five  of  these  tents 
for  the  use  of  such  of  your  people  as  most  need  them." 

Tears  came  into  Ellen's  eyes  as  she  grasped  the  hand 
of  the  young  officer. 

"You  are  a  true  man,  sir,"  she  said,  feelingly.  "May 
God  bless  you  !  But  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  take  your 
tents,  and  thus  deprive  you  of  the  rest  yourselves  will 
need." 

"  Do  not  have  any  fear  on  our  account,"  he  answered, 
smiling.  "We  shall  probably  get  accommodated  at  the 
hotels.  Being  owned  by  the  corporation  I  understand 
the  landlords  have  refused  to  aid  your  committee,  but 
they  will  not  dare  refuse  me.  I  think  I  have  the  right 
to  demand  admittance,  but  in  the  absence  of  positive 
knowledge  on  that  po''»t,  I  shall  certainly  make  a  good 


lt>4;  BTMAXaQ   OF    ELLEK. 

feint.  If  you  will  accompany  me  I  wiH  show  you  the 
quarters,  which  you  can  then  occupy  at  your  con- 
venience." 

Ellen  went  over  to  the  tents  and,  after  a  little  talk 
with  Hugh,  accepted  them  with  many  protestations  of 
gratitude.  The  work  of  selecting  the  more  helpless 
from  among  the  houseless  groups  was  at  once  begun. 
Aged  women,  young  mothers  and  nursing  babes  were 
taken  first.  As  the  militiamen  noticed  the  strange  sight 
— their  officers'  quarters  given  up  to  the  strikers  they 
came  to  suppress — a  murmur  of  astonishment  went 
through  the  camp.  Then,  when  the  soldiers  began  to 
realize  that  nothing  but  the  canvas  walls  would  stand 
between  these  people  and  total  exposure,  the  best  side 
of  them  came  out.  Five  minutes  later  Colonel  Caswell 
was  asked  by  his  men  to  allow  them  to  crowd  themselves 
closer,  so  as  to  permit  of  surrendering  yet  other  tents  to 
the  women.  To  this  request  he  gladly  gave  his  consent, 
and  no  less  than  fifteen  of  the  tents  were  thus  placed  at 
Ellen's  disposal. 

By  close  packing  these  sufficed  to  shelter  all  of  the 
»vomen  and  children,  and  most  of  the  very  old  men, 
£avmg  the  young  and  middle-aged  men  still  unprovided 
for. 

"Don't  worry  about  the  rest  of  us,  Ellen,"  said  Hugh, 
'*  Go  and  take  care  of  your  women.  Most  of  us  have 
overcoats,  and  there  are  blankets  for  the  others.  We 
are  tough  and  hearty,  and  shall  not  suffer.  If  I  knew 
what  we  are  to  do  for  the  other  babies  and  women  who 
are  to  be  turned  out  to-morrow,  I  should  feel  better." 

*  Leave  that  to  God  !  "  she  said,  earnestly.  "  He  who 
has  done  so  much  for  us  to-night  will  not  desert  us  if  we 
trust  in  Him,     I  am  going  to  pray,  before  I  sleep,  for 


•*  TE8,    I    UyDERCTAKD,        SHU    8ATD.  165 

every  soul  in  this  town,  that  he  will  hare  them  m  His 
Keeping." 

"Every  soul  '"  repeated  Hugh.  "Shall  you  pray  fo: 
Philip  Westland?" 

A  tremor  passed  over  her  frame. 

"Yes,  for  him  also,"  she  said,  devoutly.  "I  do  not 
ifenow  a  man  who  needs  God's  grace  more.  Good-night, 
Hugh." 

When  every  one  around  her  was  still,  Ellen  lifted  to 
Heaven  a  long  and  earnest  supplication.  Then,  though 
she  did  not  expect  to  sleep,  exhaustion  oveifamc  her 
The  last  sound  she  heard  was  the  sharp  voice  of  a  sentry, 
AS  he  challenged  some  late  passer  through  that  armed 
camp  that  had  been  so  recently  the  peaceful  village  oi 
Riverfall. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

•*  YES,  I    UNDERSTAND,"  SHE  SAIIX 

Mill-agent  Westland  paced  the  rooms  of  the  Agency 
until  past  midnight.  Sleep  had  of  late  become  a  stranger 
to  his  eyes.  He  had  begun  to  look  haggard.  A  lifelong 
habit  of  early  hours  and  unbroken  rest  was  completely 
destroyed.  He  found,  to  his  surprise,  that  he  had  nerves 
and  ones  that  could  be  jarred  painfully,  too.  His  appe- 
tite had  left  him. 

He  walked  up  and  down  the  house  in  the  liope  that 
drowsiness  would  be  thus  induced,  but  the  only  effect 
was  to  make  him  more  wide  awake,  if  possible,  than  ever 
He  knew  hov\  much  he  needed  the  rest  that  so  persist- 
ently fled  from  him.     At  last,  discouraged  in  his  vain  at' 


166  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEH. 

tempt,  he  went  to  the  rack  in  the  front  hall,  donned  hit 
hat  and  overcoat,  and  sallied  into  the  street. 

It  was  quite  chilly.  The  overcoat  was  necessary  for 
ordinary  comfort  on  that  October  night.  He  did  not 
think  of  taking  any  particular  direction,  but  he  soon 
found  himself  nearing  the  village.  The  Town  Hall 
loomed  upon  his  vision  and,  as  he  was  wondering  whether 
any  of  the  strikers  had  found  a  place  within  its  walls,  a 
sentry  stopped  him. 

It  is  a  peculiar  sensation — that  of  being  challenged  for 
the  first  time  in  your  life  by  a  uniformed  man  who  car- 
ries a  musket,  and  places  the  point  of  a  bayonet  within  a 
few  inches  of  your  breast.  As  the  sharp  word  "  Halt !" 
rang  out  on  the  air,  Westland  felt  a  shock.  In  his  pre- 
occupied condition  of  mind  he  had  quite  forgotten  for 
the  moment  that  Colonel  Caswell's  men  were  in  RiverfalU 

"Halt!"  said  the  sentry.     "You  cannot  pass  here!" 

The  wanderer  went  away  without  a  word.  It  did  not 
occur  to  him  to  say,  "1  am  Agent  Westland,  of  the  Great 
Central  Corporation,  which  owns  everything  in  Riverfall, 
and  no  man  ever  dared  stop  me  before."  He  was  in  the 
presence  of  a  new  force  before  which  stouter  minds  have 
quailed.  Besides,  he  did  not  wish  to  excite  controversy, 
and  one  direction  was  as  agreeable  to  him  as  another. 

The  sentry  had  time  to  notice,  by  the  dim  light  of  a  gas- 
lamp,  that  the  man  he  had  challenged  did  not  seem  to  be 
a  "  mill  hand,"  and  he  offered  him  this  explanation  : 

"  It  was  feared  the  strikers  might  attempt  to  enter  the 
Town  House  and  we  have  been  ordered  to  guard  it  on 
every  side." 

The  agent  wandered  on.  Twice  more  was  he  stopped 
by  sentries.  One  of  them  told  him,  "  The  orders  are  that 
no  one  shall  pass  this  way,  as  the  strikers  who  are  trying 
te  sleep  on  the  sidewalks  ©ught  not  to  be  disturbed." 


*  TEB,    I   UNDERSTAND,"    8HB   SAIDl,  187 

Another  said,  sharply,  though  in  a  purposely-modulated 
voice,  "  You  cannot  pass  here,  sir  ;  no  one  but  the  women 
and  children  can  be  admitted  to  the  officers'  tents."  At 
the  last  statement,  W^stland  followed  with  his  eye  the 
pointed  finger  of  the  rentinel,  and  saw  for  the  first  time 
the  white  canvas  houses  un  the  Common,  looking 
strangely  out  of  place  amid  their  surroundings. 

"You  had  best  follow  that  street  and  get  out  of  the 
lines,"  added  the  soldier.  "  You  will  be  constantly  run- 
ning into  trouble  if  you  do  not." 

*'  The  women  and  children  only." 

Westland  understood  now.  The  militia  sent  to  pro- 
tect the  mill-owners  of  Riverfall  had  sided  with  the  em- 
ployes, and  taken  part  of  them  into  the  tents  of  its  offi- 
cers !  He  had  heard  the  efficiency  of  citizen  troops 
doubted  in  cases  of  civil  outbreak.  Fraternizing  with  the 
populace  so  soon  !  Truly  a  fine  state  of  affairs  !  Then 
his  heart  gave  a  great  throb  at  the  thougiit  that  fol- 
lowed : 

"  Ellen  !" 

She  was  undoubtedly  sleeping — if  indeed  she  slept  at 
all — in  one  of  those  white  tents  from  which  he  had  just 
been  turned  back.  Ellen,  the  proud,  the  scornful  Mar- 
chioness of  Riverfall,  whose  hold  on  the  two  thousand 
employes  of  his  corporation  was  so  much  greater  than  his 
own.  She  rested  there  at  the  head  of  her  unyielding 
forces,  while  he,  the  general  of  the  opposing  army,  could 
rest  nowhere.  The  first  day  of  the  actual  battle  was  over, 
and  she  held  her  ground. 

"But  to-morrow,"  said  the  agent  to  himself,  "will  put 
her  to  a  severer  test.  Five  hundred  more  of  her  people 
will  be  dispossessed  of  their  tenements,  and  where  will 
she  shelter  them  ?  The  next  day  another  five  hundred 
will  follow,  and  the  next  another.     By  Saturday  night 


168  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN". 

nearly  h<x\f  the  inhabitants  of  Riverfall  will  be  out  of 
doors."  Then  the  agent  drew  his  overcoat  closer,  and 
buttoned  it. 

"  Heavens  !     How  cold  it  is  !"  he  muttered. 

He  strolled  slowly  back  toward  the  Agency,  not  with 
any  intention  o'^  entering  it,  but  because  he  thought  it 
wise  to  heed  the  sentry's  advice,  and  keep  away  from  the 
challenging  soldiers.  As  he  neared  the  house  he  saw 
two  female  figures,  fully  dressed,  at  an  upper  window  ; 
and  as  he  reached  the  gate  one  of  them  '■aised  the  J^ash 
and  spoke  his  name  in  a  low  voice : 

"  Mr.  Westland." 

"Yes,  Mollie." 

*•  Miss  Edna  says,  if  you  are  not  too  tired,  she  would 
like  to  walk  out  a  little  way  with  you," 

"Certainly,  Mollie.     I  will  wait  here," 

It  was  Edna's  maid  who  spoke,  and  the  other  was,  of 
course,  Miss  Melbourg  herself.  It  did  not  seem  odd  to 
Westland  that  these  two  women  should  be  up  and 
dressed  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  anxious  for  a 
stroll  in  the  streets.  He  had  ceased  to  consider  any- 
thing remarkable  except  the  commonplace.  In  a  town 
like  that  which  Riverfall  had  become,  where  a  sentry 
could  dispute  the  agent's  right  to  go  where  he  pleas^id, 
nothing  could  surprise  him  very  much. 

Edna  presently  appeared,  warmly  dressed,  and  took 
his  arm.  Mollie,  out  of  regard  for  Mrs.  Grundy's  feel- 
ings, followed  at  a  respectful  distance  ;  not  far  enough 
to  excite  alarm  in  her  maidenly  bosom  at  her  unpro' 
tected  condition,  and  yet  not  so  near  that  she  could  heat 
the  conversation  of  the  other  strollers,  if  they  chose  t<j 
speak  in  ordinary  tones, 

"Where  do  5^ou  wish  to  go  ?"  was  his  first  question 

"'  Down  into  the  village." 


•*T1S,    I   UNDKRSTAiro,"    SHE   SAUX  189 

•*  But  the  soldiers  have  gua-ded  every  place,  and  wil! 
not  let  us  pass.  I  myself  have  been  challenged  several 
times  within  the  last  hour." 

"  Let  us  go  as  near  as  we  can." 

They  walked  on  for  several  minutes  without  further 
words.     Then  the  blind  girl  asked  ; 

"  What  are  the  soldiers  here  for?" 

"To  furnish  lodgings  for  the  strikers,  apparently,"  he 
answered,  cynically.  "Half  of  them  are  sheltered  is 
their  tents  at  this  moment,  I  understand." 

"  Half,  Philip  ?     Which  half  ?" 

"  The  women  and  children." 

He  realized  by  the  closer  clasp  that  she  gave  his  arm 
that  she  was  glad.  It  did  not  astonish  hijn.  Nothing 
was  as  it  ought  to  be. 

"Are  you  sorry,  Philip  ?"  she  said, 

"  Sorry  ?  I  ?  Why  should  I  be  sorry  ?  They  are  out 
of  the  corporation  houses.  What  does  it  matter  to  me 
where  they  go  after  that  ?" 

She  waited  a  little. 

*^  It  is  a  cold  night,"  she  said,  clinging  closer  to  him. 
"Yes." 

"Some  of  the  strikers  are  entirely  out  of  doors?" 

"All  of  the  men,  I  suppose.  And  all  of  the  women 
would  have  been  but  for  the  meddlesomeness  of  that 
militia  colonel." 

She  stopped  there  in  the  street  and,  releasing  her 
hand,  drew  away  from  him. 

"And  you  would  prefer  that  they  endured  this 
weather  unprotected!  You  ncf^d  go  no  further  with 
me.     I  will  call  Mollie." 

He  caught  her  hand  and  replaced  it  in  his  arm  roughly. 

"I  shall  escort  you  home,  if  you  desire  to  go  there," 
be  said,  sternly     "Two  woaaen  cannot  wander  about  ia 


170  SPEAKING    OF    ELLMT. 

Riverfall  after  midnight,  with  the  streets  filled  with  strik* 
ers  and  soldiers !" 

She  submitted  passively.  They  started  to  return  at  a 
faster  pace,  which  soon  became,  however,  slower  even 
than  before. 

"  You  know  all  about  it,  Edna,"  he  said,  querulously. 
"You  know  how  these  people  have  put  themselves  out  of 
«rork  and  home  of  their  own  accord.  And  yet  you  talk 
as  if  it  were  my  fault  !" 

"  No,  Philip,"  she  said,  gently,  "  I  do  noi  know  whose 
fault  it  is.  I  will  leave  that  to  heads  that  are,  perhaps, 
wiser  than  mine.  But  I  do  know  that  it  is  too  cold  for 
anybody  to  live  out  of  doors  at  this  season." 

"Why  didn't  they  stay  in-doors,  then  !"  he  snapped. 
"They  had  but  to  make  one  sign  of  intention  to  resume 
work,  and  every  notice  of  eviction  would  have  been  torn 
down  !  I  went  so  far  yesterday  as  to  hint  as  much  to 
the  committee  that  waited  on  me.  But,  no  !  They  are 
determined  to  break  me,  and  they  reckon  with  the  wrong 
man  !  I  have  ordered  them  out,  and  go  they  shall,  un- 
less they  come  and  ask  for  clemency  in  the  proper  spirit !" 

She  waited  a  little  while  again,  wanting  to  say  the  right 
thing  and  uncertain  how  to  shape  her  words. 

"  If,"  she  began,  "if — I  was  thinking  ;  if  some  of  them 
should  die — from  the  exposure." 

She  could  feel,  though  she  could  not  see,  the  glare  of 
his  eyes  as  he  turned  them  on  her. 

*  Well,  I  wonder  if  you  would  lay  that  on  me!  If  there 
are  deaths,  let  them  charge  it  to  those  who  ordered  them 
to  quit  the  mills,  who  have  counseled  them  to  resist  to 
the  last  extreme.  They  cannot  give  the  blame  to  one 
who  continued  to  hold  out,  and  would  even  now  hold 
©ut  the  olive-branch  !" 

Edna  answered  quietly  : 


"  TE8,    I   UNDEBSTAND,"    SHE    SAID.  171 

••Then  >ou  think  all  the  fault  is  Ellen's." 

He  started  at  the  word.  She  felt  how  it  thrilled  hini, 
for  in  her  blindness  his  very  heart-beats  connected  them- 
selves  with  hers. 

"  It  is  the  fault  of  anyone  who  has  led  them  wrong," 
he  said,  his  voice  trembling. 

"  Ralph  tells  me  they  obey  Ellen  like  an  army,"  said 
Edna.  "  Then  if  death  results  from  these  evictions,  she 
will  be  a  murderess  !     And  yet  they  say  you  love  her !" 

She  said  it  deliberately,  fully  expecting  the  most  un- 
pleasant consequences.  To  her  surprise,  Westland  re- 
tained the  semblance  of  composure  into  which  he  had 
fallen. 

"  Who  says  that  ?"  was  his  calm  reply. 

"The   strikers." 

"  Who  told  you  ?" 

"  Ralph.  He  has  heard  much  from  them  during  the 
past  day  or  two.  One  of  the  men  named  Converse 
coupled  your  names  in  the  public  street.  He  was  a 
member  of  Ellen's  principal  committee,  but  that  night 
she  ordered  his  discharge  from  duty." 

He  was  lost  in  thought  for  a  moment.     Then  he  said  : 

"  Converse  ?  Probably  it  was  the  same  man  who  as- 
saulted the  constable's  messenger  and  threw  his  notices 
into  the  river.  I  was  trying  to  think  where  I  had  heard 
the  name.  So  Ellen  discharged  him,  did  she  ?  She  is  a 
determined  woman." 

Edna  was  surprised  at  the  unmoved  way  in  which  he 
spoke. 

"  You  will  remember  I  told  you,  when  you  first  spoke 
of  her,  that  it  was  a  case  of  love,"  said  she. 

They  were  nearing  the  Agency,  and  he  slackened  his 
already  snail-like  pace. 

"  If  that  were  true,  n-y  dear  girl,  *  he  said,  with  deep 


172  SPKAJCIKQ    or    ELLH». 

feeling,  "  would  it  make  less  plain  my  duty  to  pro  ect  at 
all  hazards  the  property  of  my  employers  and  wards .' 
Would  I  have  any  right  to  give  way  to  a  sentiment  that 
might  weaken  the  loyalty  I  owe  in  other  directions  ?  You 
never  saw  me  troubled  as  I  have  been  the  past  month. 
My  heart  is  naturally  tender,  but  I  have  had  to  steel  it.  I 
prefer  to  say  pleasant  things,  and  I  have  been  compelled 
to  say  hard  ones.  Do  you  think  I  find  it  agreeable  to 
contemplate  the  spectacle  of  shivering,  homeless  men  and 
women  ?  You  have  known  me  too  long  for  that.  A  great 
question  is  left  for  me  to  solve,  and  I  have  decided  to  sink 
all  else  until  it  is  settled.  The  country  has  been  dis- 
tracted by  periodical  strikes,  injurious  alike  to  employer 
and  employe.  The  suffering  caused  by  these  disturb- 
ances has  been  enormous.  I  want  to  make  here  an  exam- 
ple that  shall  so  encourage  mill-owners  that  labor  troubles 
will  be  at  an  end.  Heretofore  the  working  people  have 
been  treated  like  children  who  get  anything  they  want  if 
they  only  cry  loud  enough  for  it.  Prove  to  them  that  a 
strike  cannot  be  a  success,  and  they  will  never  strike 
again.  On  the  other  hand,  let  them  but  win  in  a  struggle 
such  as  this,  and  all  the  capital  in  America  will  be  at  their 
mercy  ;  the  market  will  fall  into  a  state  of  chaos  ;  shut- 
downs will  become  no  longer  matters  of  choice,  but  neces- 
sity ;  and  the  laborer  himself  will  find,  instead  of  regu- 
lar, fairly-paid  employment,  only  a  precarious  livelihood. 
If  there  is  a  man  in  the  world  whom  I  esteem,  it  is  Hugh 
Mayfield.  If  there  is  a  woman  who  seems  unselfish, 
noble  and  of  superior  mind,  outside  of  my  intimate 
acquaintances,  it  is  she  they  call  the  Marchioness,  But 
what  are  love  and  esteem  when  opposed  to  Duty  ?  No, 
my  feet  cannot  be  seduced  from  their  plain  path,  though 
it  be  planted  with  thorns  and  overhung  with  brambles  !*■ 
The  blind  girl  heard  him  with  profound  surprise. 


••  TBS  I   WlfDBB^AWn,**    SSB   gAXIk  17| 

••If  things  are  allowed  to  take  their  own  course,"  he 
•dded,  "  this  strik-  will  be  ended  in  a  fortnight,  and  the 
mills  be  in  full  operation  again.  Mistaken  sentiment  ai 
this  time  would  injure  both  us  and  them." 

"in  the  meantime,"  said  Edna,  "the  nights  will  be  very 
cold.  Could  not  the  same  result  be  reached  without  this 
hardship?     It  seems  dreadful  to  be  homeless." 

"It  is  necessary,"  was  his  reply. 

They  had  reached  the  steps.  As  Mollie  came  np  with 
them,  Edna  bade  her  enter  the  house,  saying  she  would 
follow  in  a  moment  more. 

"  Is  the  Marchioness  very  beautiful  7'  she  asked. 

"Extremely  so,"  he  answered.  "It  is  a  mar\'el  that, 
with  her  wonderful  attributes,  she  should  choose  the  life 
of  the  mills." 

"And  Mr.  Mayfield,"  she  added,  hesitatingly.  "What 
is  he  like?" 

^  "Oh,  Hugh.?"  said  Westland,  pausing  to  consider. 
"Well,  he  is  of  about  my  height,  with  blue  eyes  and 
rather  light  hair.     A  fine,  sturdy,  honest  fellow," 

She  dropped  her  voice  for  the  next  question. 

"Do  you  think  they  will  ever  marry  Y' 

He  looked  at  her  strangely. 

"  Each  other  ?  Hugh  and  Ellen  ?  No,  it  is  not  conceiV- 
able.  Both  are  too  deeply  interested  in  the  labor  ques- 
tion to  give  much  thought  to  such  things,  but  under  no 
circumstances  do  I  think  they  could  ever  mate." 

She  went  into  the  house,  and  left  him  there.  He  could 
not  quite  understand  the  meaning  in  all  of  her  questions. 
Perhaps  she  was  jealous  of  Ellen.  Perhaps  she  did  not 
Uke  to  share  him  even  as  a  friend  with  any  one.  But  he 
vas  used  to  the  blind  girl's  caprices,  and  had  been  from 
her  chiicho»xI,  &iud  b«  &&i»  disAiAsed  the  matter  from  his 
mirvd 


174  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

Sleep  being  as  far  as  ever  from  his  eyeLds,  he  took 
another  walk  down  the  street.  Before  he  had  gone  a 
dozen  rods  he  met  Ralph  Melbourg,  and  found  that  young 
gentleman  in  a  state  of  high   excitement, 

"What's  the  matter,  Ralph ?"  he  asked,  as  the  young 
man  paused  before  him  with  glowering  face. 

"  Matter  ?  Matter  enough  !  You  are  going  too  far, 
Phil !  I  have  spent  the  night  in  the  village.  Do  you 
know  what  is  going  on?  Soldiers  guarding  the  Town 
House,  men  wrapped  in  bed-clothes  shivering  on  the 
curbstones,  women  and  children  sheltered  by  militia  offi- 
cers in  their  tents  !  By  God,  Phil,  do  you  know  what 
you  have  got  to  do  !  You  must  have  the  rest  of  those 
notices  torn  down  by  daylight,  and  issue  orders  to  let 
these  people  back  into  their  tenements  !  Damn  it,  we 
have  almost  had  a  frost  !" 

While  Westland  did  not  relish  his  friend's  remarks,  he 
could  not  repress  a  smile  at  his  impetuosity. 

"  Must  I,  indeed!"  he  answered.  "Well,  I  shall  do 
nothing  of  the  kind.  The  people  can  go  back  into  the 
corporation  houses  at  any  time  prior  to  November  ist, 
provided  they  sign  the  new  schedule,  and  on  no  other 
terms," 

Ralph's  anger  increased  visibly  at  these  words. 

"You  say  you  won't  have  the  notices  pulled  down  !" 
he  cried.  "  You  will  persist  in  throwing  the  rest  of  them 
out  !" 

"  Undoubtedly,"  was  the  quiet  response.  "  But  it 
seems  to  me  that  some  one  has  been  changing  his  mind 
rather  suddenly.  A  few  months  ago,  he  was  lamenting 
the  reduction  in  his  income  that  these  same  strikers  made 
last  year  ;  now  they  have  his  sympathy  in  a  move  that 
is  exactly  similar,  but  more  aggressive.  Why  this  re- 
markable  alteration  in  your  attitude  V* 


**  TBS,    I    UNDEESTAjrD,"     SHE    SAID,  IW 

The  growing  indignation  of  the  young  man  made  it 
almost  impossible  for  him  to  answer  coherently. 

"  Hang  my  income  !"  he  cried.  "  I  have  seen  too  much 
to-night  to  ever  want  again  an  income  from  mill  divi- 
dends. I  have  seen  families  separated  ;  wives,  sisters 
and  mothers  thankful  to  accept  a  canvas  roof  offered  by 
charity ;  husbands  and  fathers  left  like  dogs  outside  the 
doors  your  men  have  locked  upon  them  !  I  have  seen 
their  miserable  belongings,  hardly  fit  for  tramps,  saved 
from  destruction  only  by  the  kindness  of  a  truckman  who 
carted  them  off  to  his  sheds  !  I  have  seen  children  crying 
because  their  customary  piece  of  bread  was  denied  them  ! 
One  of  the  little  ones  was  so  ill  he  could  not  hold  up  his 
head.  Ellen  took  him  in  her  arms  and  carried  him  into 
one  of  the  officers'  tents.  It  is  doubtful  if  he  lives  till 
morning,  as  the  night  air  is  dangerous  in  his  weak  con- 
dition !     By  God,  Phil !— " 

But  Westland  interrupted  him. 

"Where  is  that  child — in  which  tent?"  he  asked,  white 
as  a  sheet.  *'  It  shall  be  brought  at  once  to  the  Agency, 
and  I  will  have  a  doctor  for  it.  Why  did  not  some  one 
tell  me  of  this  ?  Where  have  you  been  all  night  instead 
of  letting  me  know  ?" 

Ralph  gave  an  impatient  snarl, 

"What  good  would  it  have  done  to  let  you  know — you 
who  have  said  within  a  minute  that  you  will  turn  the 
rest  of  them  out  as  fast  as  you  can  ?" 

**  But  not  the  babies  !  I  didn't  realize  that  there  were 
any  babies  !"  stammered  the  agent.  "Show  me  which 
tent  he  is  in." 

"  I  can't.  I  didn't  notice.  The  sentries  are  all  around, 
too,  and  you  can't  pass." 

"I  can  at  least  get  a  doctor  and  send  him  there.    They 


1T8  SPEAKING   OF   ELLENc 

will  not  refuse  him  when  he  states  h!s  errand.    Come 

Ralph,  go  with  me." 

But  the  young  man  was  firm. 

'*  I  will  not !"  he  cried.  "  I  will  have  nothing  more  to 
do  with  you  while  you  continue  to  represent  a  miserable 
corporation  that  is  turning  its  old  servants  into  the 
street.  I  am  going  into  the  house  to  pack  my  things, 
and  in  the  morning  I  will  have  them  taken  away." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Westland.  He  did  not  care  to  pro- 
long the  argument.  He  feared  that  his  patience  might 
collapse  under  the  strain.  He  went  at  once  to  the  house 
of  the  leading  physician  of  the  place.  Dr.  McNally,  and 
awoke  that  gentleman  from  a  sound  sleep. 

Dr.  McNally  was  surp:  sed  when  he  learned  the  nature 
of  Mr.  Westland's  errand,  but  as  his  customer  was  un- 
doubtedly able  to  settle  all  bills,  he  prepared  without 
delay  to  do  his  bidding.  Together  they  proceeded  to 
the  Common,  where  the  doctor  informed  the  sentry  who 
accosted  him  of  his  object.  This  sentry  called  an  officef 
of  the  guard  who,  after  some  parley,  admitted  the  pair, 
and  even  condescended  to  show  them  where  the  »tck 
child  was. 

Mrs.  Mulligan,  the  child's  mother,  was  wringing  her 
hands,  and  mourning  in  a  high  key  when  the  visitors 
were  announced.  The  child  himself  was  lying  in  Nath- 
alie's lap,  in  a  feverish  sleep,  frequently  broken.  Ellen 
sat  by  with  some  medicine  in  her  hands  which  she  had 
procured,  and  when  Dr.  McNally  learned  what  treat- 
ment she  had  pursued  he  nodded  his  head  with  satisfac- 
tion. What  was  most  important  now,  he  said,  was  to 
remove  the  sufferer  to  a  room  where  a  better  tempera- 
ture could  be  maintained,  and  he  asked  the  mother  if  she 
were  willing  to  accompany  him  to  his  residence. 

"An'shure,  its  kilt  the  b'y  is  already  widout  movin' 


**  YES,    I    JNDKR8TANI-,       SHE   RAID.  177 

film  !"  cried  Mrs.  Mulligan.  "May  God  forgive  tht  man 
who  turrend  us  out  of  doors  on  this  cruel  night  !  Poor 
little  Patsy  !  It's  an  angel  ye'll  be  befure  the  sun  rises, 
an'  all  the  docthors  in  Ameriky  won't  save  ye  !" 

Westland  winced  at  the  allusion  to  himself,  and  was 
painfully  aware  that  the  other  women  present  fully  sym- 
pathized with  the  sentiment  conveyed,  Ellen  came  to 
the  doctor's  assistance,  and  finally,  by  promising  to 
accompany  her,  and  to  send  a  messenger  to  her  husband 
to  tell  him  where  she  had  gone,  secured  Mrs.  Mulligan's 
consent  to  do  as  requested.  Nathalie  wrapped  the  baby 
in  warm  blankets,  and  went  along  also.  After  the  party 
had  passed  the  military  line,  Ellen  and  Westland  fell  a 
little  behind  the  others. 

"You  were  very  kind  to  bring  the  doctor,"  she  said  to 
him. 

"  Not  at  all,"  hr,  answered,  quickly.  "  I  went  for  him 
AS  soon  as  I  knew  of  the  case.  I  wish  I  had  heard  of  it 
earlier.  Let  me  say  another  thing  while  we  are  alone. 
I  am  inexpressibly  rejoiced  that,  notwithstanding  all  that 
has  passed,  you  and  I  can  still  meet  on  terms  of  personal 
friendship." 

Ellen  lookid  up  at  him  brightly.  Through  the  dim 
light  of  the  «»rly  dawn  he  could  distinguish  her  features, 
none  the  'e?»  lovely  for  the  pallor  of  a  nearly  sleepless 
night. 

"Why  shculd  we  not  be  friends,"  she  asked,  in  her 
most  mv^ical  tone,  "  when  each  is  doing  what  he  thinks 
is  right  ?" 

"  And  yet  one  must  be  wrong,"  he  said. 

"  True,"  she  repeated  ;  "  one  must  be  wrong.     But  if 
he  believes  himself  right,  God  will  surely  hold  him  guilt- 
less, though  there  may  come  a  time  when  he  would  |^ve 
much  to  undo  the  evil  he  has  caused.** 
«• 


178  8PEABING   OF   ELLEN. 

He  thought  that  over  a  minute  and  then  continue<^ 
earnestly  : 

"  There  is  another  thing,  Ellen,  that  I  want  to  say 
to  you.  You  must  forgive  me  for  alluding  to  it,  and 
I  do  not  ask  for  a  reply  now.  These  troublous  times 
seem  so  likely  to  draw  us  apart,  that  I  must  avail  myself 
Df  even  this  inauspicious  moment.  I  do  not  know  when 
We  shall  meet  alone  again,  and  I  wish  to  tell  you — " 

She  laid  a  hand  on  his  arm,  and  turned  toward  him 
such  a  startled,  pleading  face,  that  he  stopped  short  in 
the  path. 

"  I  beg  you,  do  not  say  it !"  she  gasped. 

"  Ah  !"  he  said.     "  But — you  understand  ?" 

She  took  several  steps  away  before  she  realized  that 
he  was  not  following.  Then  she  turned  half  toward 
him,  but  did  not  raise  her  eyes. 

«  Yes — I  understand,"  she  said,  faintly,  and  went  on 
alone  into  the  doctor's  house. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

AN    OATH    ON    THE    CRUCIFIX. 

The  sun  rose  and  tried  in  vain  to  dispel  the  haze  that 
hung  over  Riverfall.  The  air  still  continued  to  be  very 
chilly.  Some  hundreds  of  people  whose  bed-curtains 
had  been  the  black  sky  of  night,  and  whose  breakfast 
had  been  more  scanty  than  usual,  were  quite  sure  it  was 
chillier  than  common  at  that  season.  Several  hundreds 
of  other  people  who  were  preparing  to  obey  the  eviction 
notices   that  were   tacked  on  their  doors    looked  with 


AN    OATH    ON   THE    CRUCIFIX.  179 

doubt  at  the  clouds,  and  feared  rain  before  sunset.  And 
some  hundreds  of  others,  whose  turn  was  to  come;  'ater, 
wore  gloomy  faces  quite  in  keeping  with  the  threa>^ning 
aspect  of  the  heavens. 

Colonel  Caswell's  men  still  made  a  show  of  patrolling 
the  village  and  "protecting  the  property"  of  the  mill 
corporation,  as  well  as  the  residences  of  the  town  offi- 
cials. Those  of  them  who  had  been  on  guard  during  the 
night  slept  the  sleep  of  tired  men  in  their  tents.  Others 
strolled  about,  discussing  the  situation  in  low  tones. 
Though  they  were,  in  truth,  "  holiday  soldiers,"  and  not 
particularly  in  love  with  the  task  assigned  them,  their 
commander  could  find  no  fault  with  their  obedience  of 
orders.  That  extraordinary  thing  called  discipline, 
which  makes  a  thousand  men  execute  the  will  of  one 
like  automatons,  was  well  enforced  in  this  regiment. 
When  the  colonel  received  the  Governor's  order,  he  took 
with  him  his  best  companies.  And  he  said  afterwards, 
in  his  report,  "  My  men  rejected  credit  on  themselves, 
on  their  regiment,  and  on  the  Commonwealth." 

The  colonel  slept  at  the  Riverfall  House,  and  he  slept 
well.     Most  of  his  commissioned  officers  were  with  him. 
Entirely    refreshed,   he   arose    early   and    took   a    stroll 
through  the  village.     His  engaging  manners,  as  well  as 
his  kindness  in  giving  up  his  quarters  to  the  women,  had 
begun  to  make  him  popular  in  spite  of  the  disagreeable 
quality  of  his  business  in  the  place.     "  Good-mornings" 
were  showered  upon  him  from  the  poor  fellows  whose 
bed  had  been  the  soft  side  of  a  brick,  and   questions 
were  more    plentiful  than   he  could  have  desired.     He 
was  compelled  to  repeat  many  times  that  he  could  do 
nothing  except  act  in  conjunction  with  the  town  author- 
ities, and  that  it  was  quite  improper  for  him  to  express 
•ny  opinion  on  the  points  at  issue  between  the  people 


180  SPEAKING    OF   ELLBN. 

and  the  coqjoration.  But  his  questioners  tonld  not 
understand  how  a  colonel  in  gorgeous  uniform,  with  a 
■word  hanging  to  his  b  It,  could  take  orders  irona  a 
craven  civilian. 

Hugh  May  field  slept  but  a  few  hours,  lying  on  the 
sidewalk,  with  a  bed-quilt  over  him,  but  at  daybreak  he 
arose,  as  fresh  as  a  lark.  His  superb  physique  stood  him 
in  good  stead  on  an  occasion  like  the  present.  Sum- 
moning his  most  trusted  assistants,  he  saw  that  sufficient 
provisions  were  distributed  to  the  hungry  crowd,  and 
then  went  hither  and  thither,  giving  advice  and  assist- 
ance wherever  his  presence  was  required.  He  had  a 
good  deal  to  do.  Everybody  seemed  to  consult  him,  and 
none  questioned  his  decisions.  While  thus  engaged  he 
saw,  somewhat  to  his  surpise,  that  Ralph  Melbourg  waa 
waiting  to  speak  to  him. 

"  May  I  have  a  word  with  ^'ou  ?** 

"  Yes,"  said  Hugh,  "  only  make  it  as  brief  as  possible. 
I  am,  as  you  see,  very  busy." 

**  You  refused  my  money,"  said  Ralph,  speaking  in  a 
quick,  nervous  way.  "  I  come  to  offer  it  again,  and  this 
time  1  offer  myself  with  it.  I  have  thrown  up  Westland 
forever.  All  my  sympathies  are  now  on  your  side.  I 
have  just  had  my  things  taken  away  T-cm  the  Agency. 
I  could  not  live  longer  with  a  man  who  does  such  cruel 
acts." 

"  Cruel  !"  interrupted  a  pleasant  voice  at  his  side. 
"  Are  you  not  mistaken  ?" 

Ralph  turned  and  saw  the  Marchioness,  who  had  si- 
lently approached.  The  three  were  quite  alone.  No 
striker  would  have  dreamed  of  coming  near  when  Ellen 
and  Hugh  were  in  consultation,  acd  what  they  might 
say  was  as  secure  from  listeners  as  though  bolts  and  bars 
had  held  b'^ck  the  world. 


AN    OATH    ON    THE    CRUCIFIX.  18^ 

** Cruel?"  iaid  the  pleasant  voice  again.  "Philip 
Westland  cruel  !  You  would  not  say  so  i>  tou  had  seen 
him  at  ir.>  tent  this  morning  with  Dr.  McNallv,  whom 
he  summoned  to  attend  Mrs.  Mulligan's  sick  baby." 

"  It  Wcs  I  who  told  him  about  the  baby  !"  cried  Ralph, 
eagerly.  "  I  met  him  about  three  o'clock,  near  th« 
Agency.  1  had  just  come  from  the  village,  and  the  sights 
there  had  made  me  very  angrv.  We  had  a  few  hot 
words  over  the  matter,  and  I  told  him  I  should  leave  his 
house  in  the  morning.  I  have  just  done  so,  as  I  was 
telling  Hugh." 

Mayfield  waited  for  Ellen  to  reply.  When  she  was 
present  he  never  assumed  to  direct  a  conversation,  ex- 
cept at  her  expressed  wish. 

"There  are  two  Westlands,"  said  Ellen.  "One  of 
them  is  a  noble-hearted,  honorable,  generous  gentleman 
The  other  is  the  agent  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation. 
Which  of  them  did  you  meet  ?" 

"There  is  but  on^  Westland  in  Riverfall  whom  I 
know,"  was  Ralph's  surprised  reply. 

"  Oh,  excuse  me,  but  there  are  surely  two,"  she  an- 
swered.  "  One  ordered  the  Mulligan  familv  out  of  their 
tenement  on  a  cold  October  day.  The  other  sent  a  doc- 
tor  and  nurse  to  the  Mulligan  baby,  and  would  have 
taken  the  entire  family  under  his  charge  had  they  con- 
sented  to  go.     You  see  they  are  very  different  men/ 

He  began  to  understand. 

"  Now,  let  me  hear  again,  if  you  please,  what  it  Js  yote 
wish  to  do  ?" 

Then  Ralph  reiterated,  though  at  greater  length  wnat 
he  had  said  to  Hugh.  He  was  ihoroughlv  in  s^'mpaihy 
with  the  strikers,  and  wanted  to  be  put  where  his  time 
and  what  means  he  had  would  serve  them  best.  He 
wras  not  rich,  but  he  had  a  stated  income  that  he  desired 


182  SPEAKINQ    OF   ELLEN. 

to  use  in  their  interest.  He  wanted  to  identify  himself 
with  them  as  against  the  greedy  corporation  that  had 
turned,  them  out  of  doors. 

"You  are  acting  under  excitement,"  said  Ellen,  when 
he  paused  for  breath.  *'  Those  in  my  ranks  are  required 
to  behave  with  calmness  and  discretion,  obeying  the.'j" 
constituted  leaders  without  delay  or  question.  I  fear 
you  could  not  bring  yourself  to  serve  in  this  manner." 

"  I  could  !"  was  his  emphatic  reply.  "I  will  take  any 
obligation  that  you  prescribe.  Only  put  me  into  some 
place  where  I  can  aid  you,  and  you  will  never  regret  the 
step.  The  first  thing  I  want  to  do  is  to  run  over  to 
New  York  for  money,  which  I  will  place  at  your  service. 
Or,  if  you  prefer,  I  will  expend  it  there  for  such  things 
as  you  most  need,  and  have  them  sent  on.  I  am  fully 
in  earnest.     Try  me  !" 

Ellen  motioned  to  Hugh,  and  together  they  took  sev- 
eral steps  away.     When  they  returned,  she  said  : 

**  It  is  our  custom — and  a  necessary  one  we  have  found 
it — to  admit  persons  to  our  counsels  only  after  a  care- 
ful test.  Though  you  seem  honest  in  your  proposal, 
and  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  you,  we  must  act  ac- 
cording to  our  rules.  If  you  go  to  New  York  you  may 
send  us  anything  you  desire,  and  we  will  accept  your 
gift  with  thanks.  When  you  return  we  will  talk  fur- 
ther. The  principal  thing  I  wish  to  urge  upon  you  is 
discretion.  Our  cause  is  more  likely,  at  the  present 
moment,  to  suffer  injury  from  careless  friends  than  from 
its  natural  enemies." 

Ralph  accepted  the  terms  with  gladness,  declaring 
that  he  would  so  prove  his  fealty  and  his  judgment  that 
he  would  receive  him  into  full  fellowship  after  a  time. 
Filled  with  his  new  enthusiasm,  he  took  the  earliest 
train  for  the  city,  where  he  arrived  soon  after  noon. 


AN   OATH   ON  THE   CEUCIFIX.  183 

His  first  visit  was  to  Westland's  office,  where  one  of  the 
clerks  honored  his  call  for  money  without  hesitation. 
As  he  had  drawn  nothing  for  several  weeks  he  had  nearly 
$500  to  his  credit,  and  he  took  the  whole  amount,  only 
regretting  it  was  not  larger.  He  gave  brief  answers  to 
requests  for  information  as  t®  the  way  things  were  going 
on  in  Riverfall,  and  left  as  soon  as  he  had  transacted 
his  business.  His  next  move  was  to  visit  a  tent-maker's, 
where  he  hired  some  large  tents,  and  ordered  them  sent 
at  once  to  Riverfall  ;  then  to  a  grocer's,  where  he  pur- 
chased tea,  coffee  and  flour  in  generous  quantities.  A 
hardware  dealer's  and  a  druggist's  completed  the  list. 

Considerable  time  was  consumed  in  making  these 
purchases,  and  in  writing  a  long  letter  to  Hugh.  It  was 
dark  before  he  finished,  and  as  the  last  train  that  would 
make  connections  for  Riverfall  had  left  the  city,  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  it  would  not  be  «.  t>ad  idea  to  make  a 
call  at  his  rooms,  and  see  if  everything  there  was  in 
good  order.  When  he  reached  the  apartment  hotel  in 
which  they  were  situated,  he  proceeded  leisurely  up  the 
stairs.  He  had  hi^  keys  in  his  pocket,  and  had  no  need  to 
call  the  janitor.  But  when  he  arrived  at  his  own  door, 
he  paused  in  surprise  to  see  a  light  through  the  transom, 
which  betokened  that  there  was  some  one  within. 

It  was  the  safest  place  in  the  world,  apparently,  for 
a  burglar  of  quiet  tastes  to  amuse  himself.  With  tha 
occupants  of  the  suite  out  of  town,  and  a  janitor  wh*^ 
had  been  given  no  information  as  to  the  probable  length 
of  their  absence,  the  knight  of  the  saw  and  jimmy,  once 
ins'de,  could  take  his  full  leisure  to  perform  his  opera- 
tions. But  the  lessee  of  the  premises  had  unexpectedly 
put  in  an  appearance,  and  there  was  to  be  a  denoue- 
ment not  down  on  the  programme  as  originally  laid  out. 
Ralph  was  no  coward.     He  never  so  much  as  thought 


10ft  IPEAKINO  OF  ELLBH. 

of  summoning  assistance.  Drawing;  from  Ms  pricket 
a  revolver  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  carrying,  he  ex- 
amined it  carefully.     Then  he  inserted  a  key  in  the  lock, 

and,  with  a  noiseless  motion,  stepped  inside. 

There  was  no  one  in  the  little  hallway  into  which  the 
sdoor  opened,  and  the  soft  rugs  gave  forth  no  sound  wheB 
pressed  by  his  feet.  The  young  man  waited  a  second 
and  listened  intently.  Some  one  was  moving  about  in 
an  inner  room.  He  locked  the  door  at  which  he  had 
entered,  determined  that  the  burglar  should  not  have  a 
chance  to  escape  in  that  direction,  and  then  stealthily 
crept  forward,  with  the  cocked  revolver  in  his  right 
hand. 

When  he  reached  the  room  whence  the  slight  sounds 
proceeded,  he  saw  that  the  door  was  slightly  ajar.  A 
bright  light  burned  inside,  and  the  movements  of  the 
depredator  could  now  be  heard  with  distinctness.  Ralph 
no  longer  hesitated,  but  threw  open  the  door  with  a 
quick  motion,  and  covered  the  intruder  with  his  weapon. 

There  was  a  scream  of  alarm,  and  the  burglar  fell  to 
the  floor,  crying  for  mercy.  As  Ralph  heard  the  cry, 
and  saw  the  quivering  heap  on  the  floor,  he  thought  it 
by  all  odds  the  queerest  burglar  that  he  had  ever  seen 
or  heard  of.  It  looked  much  more  like  a  young  girl,  in 
the  height  of  a  charming  dishabille,  than  a  dangerous 
housebreaker.  The  next  second  he  threw  the  revolver 
upon  the  bed,  and  caught  the  frightened  figure  in  bis 
arms, 

"  Nathalie  !" 

"  Oh,  Ralph  !     How  you  scared  me  !** 

'*  How  came  you  here  ?" 

"And  how  csitneyou  here  ?" 

Explanations  were  in  order,  and   Nathalie  gave  them 
airing  the  next  half  hour,  as  she  nestled  ia  her  lover's 


AJi    OATH  ON   THE   CRUCIFIX.  181 

arms  in  one  of  the  great  arm-chairs.  She  had  told  Ellen 
of  certain  treasures  that  she  wished  to  sell,  in  order  to 
aid  the  cause  of  the  strikers,  and  had  obtained  leave  to 
come  to  the  city  for  that  purpose.  She  did  not  know 
that  Ralph  was  also  in  town,  and  supposed  she  could 
pass  the  night  quite  undisturbed  in  the  solitude  of  the  old 
rooms.  His  unconventional  advent  had  startled  her  not 
a  little,  but  in  the  joy  of  seeing  him  again  she  soon 
forgot  everything  else. 

"What  do  you  think  I  was  doing?"  she  asked,  when 
he  understood  at  last  all  the  necessary  whys  and  where- 
fores. "  I  came  here  in  my  mill  clothes,  of  course,  and 
began  to  unpack  my  best  things,  to  see  what  I  could  sell 
to  the  best  advantage.  As  they  came  out,  one  after  the 
other,  I  had  an  uncontrollable  desire  to  put  them  on  once 
more,  and  see  how  I  used  to  look  as  une  grande  dame. 
If  you  do  not  think  me  too  silly,  I  would  like  to  finish." 

The  idea  pleased  him,  and  he  bade  her  proceed,  by  all 
means.  But  first  he  clasped  her  a  little  longer  in  his 
arms,  in  her  bewitching  undress,  pressing  kisses  on  her 
neck  and  arms,  until  she  became  quite  flurried,  and  tore 
herself  from  him  in  a  pret*y  burst  of  pretended  indig- 
nation. 

She  took  out  her  finest  garments,  and  proceeded  to 
array  herself  in  them,  donning  each  article  with  a  non- 
chalance that  nearly  drove  him  insane.  As  the  soft, 
delicate  goods,  edged  with  the  finest  laces,  were  placed 
about  the  exquisite  young  form,  Ralph  felt  returning  all 
his  old  love  for  wealth  and  what  it  will  buy,  and  a  cor- 
responding diminution  in  his  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
the  poor  She  drew  on  the  tinted  silk  hose  and  fastened 
them  with  silver  clasps  ;  enclosed  her  waist  in  satin  cor- 
sets ;  hung  a  string  of  pearls  about  her  snowy  neck  ; 
put   on    her  fingers    the   rings    and   in    her  ears     the 


186  spsAxmo  OF  ellest. 

jewels  so  long  discarded  ;  buttoned  the  bottines  that  fit- 
ted the  little  feet  so  perfectly  ;  arranged  her  hair  in  the 
familiar  way ;  and,  finally,  donned  her  most  becoming 
dress.  And  Ralph,  like  the  graceless  young  scamp  that 
he  was,  thought  how  much  all  this  was  to  be  preferred 
to  the  calico  and  the  pewter  ornaments  of  a  Riverfalf 
mill-girl. 

Nathalie  knew  nothing  of  what  was  passing  in  his 
mind.  She  was  too  busy  in  the  operation  of  surveying 
herself  before  the  long  mirror  to  think  of  anything  else. 
When  the  last  hook  was  fastened  and  the  toilet  was 
complete,  she  turned  to  Ralph  with  the  utmost  honesty, 
and  said  : 

"  Did  you  ever  see  anything  quite  as  pretty  in  all  youi 
life  ?" 

He  tried  to  clasp  her  about  the  waist,  preparatory  to 
crushing  her  in  his  embrace  ;  but  she  managed  to  evade 
him,  declaring  that  he  would  spoil  it  all  ! 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  something  as  pretty,  and  even 
prettier,"  he  responded,  when  •'  occurred  to  him  to  an- 
swer her  question.  "  Yoi^  lOoked  prettier,  for  instance, 
in  the  costume  you  wore  when  I  entered  the  room." 

"  Why,"  she  stammered,  "  I  wore  hardly  anything  at 
all  !" 

"  Yes,"  he  smiled,  "  that  is  what  I  mean." 

She  blushed  at  that,  and  said  he  was  a  naughty  fellow, 
and  struck  him  with  an  ivory  fan  that  hung  at  her  waist. 
And  he  made  his  peace  by  declaring  that  she  looked  like 
a  seraph,  which,  if  seraphs  ever  wear  pearl  silk,  cut 
decollete,  she  certainly  did. 

"  And  now  that  you  are  ready,"  he  said,  "  we  will  go 
to  the  theatre." 

"Will  we  ?"  she  cried,  in  ecstacy. 

**  Yes  :  it  would  be  too  bad  to  put  all  those  things  oa 


AN   OATH    ON   THE   CBUOIFIX.  187 

for  nothing.  I  will  get  a  carriage,  and  if  we  hasten  we 
shall  not  be  very  late.  It  will  not  take  me  as  long  to 
get  ready  as  it  did  you.  Have  your  hat  on,  and  in  two 
minutes  expect  me." 

He  hurried  off  to  his  own  room,  and  returned  within 
the  time  specified.  The  first  act  of  the  play  had  just 
begun  when  the  young  couple  entered  their  box.  Ralph 
had  never  taken  Nathalie  to  a  stall,  and  he  did  not  think 
this  the  night  to  commence  that  sort  of  thing.  The  girl 
did  not  pay  much  attention  to  the  stage,  but  she  looked 
a  good  deal  at  the  house,  and  the  house  returned  the 
compliment  by  looking  a  good  deal  at  her.  Ralph  was 
so  pleased  to  see  her  like  herself  again  that  he  thought 
of  little  else.  He  did  not  look  much  at  the  stage,  either. 
It  was  enough  for  him  to  watch  that  expressive  face, 
that  rounded  form,  that  dainty  bundle  of  dry  goods  that 
made  up  the  creature  called  Nathalie. 

She  was  perfectly  happy.  She  pointed  out  Astorfelt 
dnd  Vanderschmidt,  who  occupied  boxes  with  their  re- 
spective sweethearts.  No  one  could  have  guessed  that 
she  had  worked  in  a  mill  within  two  months,  and  slept 
in  a  tent  donated  by  charity  just  one  night  ago.  She 
chattered  incessantly,  and  he — he  listened  ;  it  was  all  he 
care<^  to  do.  For  that  brief  time  he  was  as  contented  as 
she. 

"That's  not  a  very  pretty  girl  of  Vanderschmidt's,  do 
you  think  .?"  was  her  comment.  "  You  know  Annie  May 
wanted  me  to  take  that  place ;  the  ridiculous  idea ! 
She's  got  on  lots  of  diamonds,  though.  Doesn't  he  look 
awful  sappy  !  I  hope  you  won't  speak  to  him  unless  he 
comes  over  here,  and  then  be  as  frigid  as  you  can. 
Annie  May  can  toss  her  head  as  much  as  she  likes  ;  she's 
not  as  pretty  as  I,  and  she  owned  it  once  to  me.  I've 
heard  that  Astorfelt  is  going  to  ship  her  off  for  somebody 


188  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN- 

younger  as  soon  as  he  finds  the  right  one.     She  :s  really 
getting  scrawny.      Compare  her  neck  to  mine,  now  I" 

She  paused  for  Ralph  to  indicate  his  approval,  which 
he  did  by  a  thoroughly  appreciative  smile^and  nod 

While  strolling  in  the  foyer  between  the  second  and 
third  acts,  Ralph  met  Mr.  Ezra  Baker,  the  late  agent  oi 
the  Riverfall  mills,  who  expressed  the  greatest  pleasure  at 
seeing  him.  Mr,  Baker  had  been  introduced  to  Ralph 
some  time  previous,  in  Westland's  city  office,  and  knew 
that  the  Melbourgs  were  heirs  to  considerable  stock  in 
the  Great  Central  Corporation.  He  therefore  pressed 
Ralph  for  the  latest  news  in  relation  to  the  strike,  and,  on 
learning  that  he  had  recently  spent  some  time  in  River- 
fall,  insisted  that  he  come  at  once  into  his  box,  and  give 
him  all  the  information  he  possessed.  Almost  before  he 
was  aware  of  it,  Ralph  was  introduced  to  a  young 
woman  who  sat  there,  and  who  was  called,  "  My  friend, 
Miss  Thurston." 

"  So  Westland  is  actually  firing  the  strikers  out  of  the 
corporation  houses,"  said  Mr.  Baker.  "I  didn't  think  he 
would  have  the  nerve  to  do  it.  A  few  nights  out  of 
doors  in  weather  like  this  will  bring  them  to  theif 
senses.  There  are  a  lot  of  militia  down  there,  too,  I  hear. 
I  hope  they  have  loaded  their  guns  with  ball,  and  will 
give  those  fellows  a  taste  of  lead  before  they  leave." 

He  went  on  in  this  style  for  several  minutes,  placing 
Ralph  in  a  state  of  great  perplexity.  He  did  not  like 
to  provoke  a  controversy  in  the  presence  of  a  third 
party  whom  he  had  never  met  before.  Besides,  he  was 
now  in  some  doubt  as  to  his  own  exact  sentiments  on  the 
subject  under  discussion.  The  environment  of  the  thea- 
tre, the  sight  of  the  wealthy  chums  of  former  days,  and 
the  transformed  Nathalie,  all  combined  to  confuse  hina. 


AM  OATH  ON  THE   CRUCIFIX.  189 

As  soon  as  he  could  excuse  himself  he  did  so  ;  but  Baker 
followed  him  out  for  another  word. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  her?"  he  said,  winking  in  the 
direction  of  Miss  Thurston.  "  Not  so  bad,  eh  ?  She 
worked  in  one  of  the  Riverfall  mills  till  six  months  ago, 
when  I  brought  her  up  here.  Since  then  1 — well,  in  fact. 
I  keep  her.  It's  a  good  place  to  get  a  girl — those  mills. 
They've  never  had  much  money,  and  they  don't  expect  a 
great  deal.  This  is  my  fourth  from  there.  You've  got  a 
pretty  one  there,  I  see.  Couldn't  introduce  me,  could 
you  ?" 

Ralph  wanted  to  knock  him  down,  and  came  within  an 
ace  of  doing  it.  But  he  restrained  himself,  and  only 
said: 

"No,  I  couldn't  indeed  !" 

Then  he  somewhat  abruptly  opened  the  door  of  his 
own  box,  and  walked  into  it. 

When  the  play  ended  he  'vaited  a  little  while,  not  car- 
ing to  encounter  any  other  acquaintances.  At  the  exit 
he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  well-known  carriage 
of  Astorfelt  disappearing  through  the  square.  He  took  a 
modest  coupe,  and  drove  with  Nathalie  through  a  quiet 
section  to  a  French  restaurant,  where  he  was  not  known 
to  the  waiter.  It  was  but  little  after  midnight  when 
they  were  again  in  the  familiar  precincts  of  their  dwell- 
ing 

Naih.ilie  unclasped  her  jewels  before  the  long  mirror 
and  unbuttoned  her  dress.  Then,  complaining  that  her 
boots  hurt  her.  she  took  them  off,  chattering  all  the  time 
like  a  magpie  on  the  events  of  the  evening.  Ralph  sat 
there  watching  her,  breathing  in  the  beauty  he  had  never 
so  fully  appreciated.  He  had  always  thought  Nathalie 
lovely,  hut  he  had  never  known  her  full  perfection  till 
Qow      He  envied  no  man  on  earth  when,  a  few  minutes 


190  SPEAKrNG   OF   ELLEN. 

later,  he  took  her  in  her  loose,  clinging  robes  and 
strained  her  to  his  heart. 

It  was  a  delicious  moment,  but,  like  many  another,  it  did 
not  last.  As  she  lay  in  his  arms  a  thought  came  into  the 
girl's  mind — a  thought  swift  and  powerful.  She  sprang 
up  and  suddenly  stood  before  her  lover,  her  left  hand 
pressed  over  her  rosy  mouth,  and  the  right  raised  as  a 
barrier  between  them. 

"  Oh,  Ralph  !"  she  cried.     "  I— I  forgot !" 

She  was  prettier  than  any  picture,  but  he  did  not  like 
the  change.  Something  told  him  it  boded  ill  for  his 
happiness. 

"  Forgot  what  ?" 

"Ellen  !" 

"  Nonsense  !"  he  answered,  though  the  blood  fled 
from  his  cheek.  "  Don't  be  a  little  goose  !  Ellen  is  at 
Riverfall.     Her  authority  doesn't  extend  as  far  as  this." 

Nathalie  shook  her  head  positively, 

"  But — I  promised  her,  Ralph.  You  don't  understand. 
It  is  a  very  serious  thing.  She  forgave  me  all  my  past, 
and  treated  mc  as  if  I  had  always  been  good — and — • 
I  promised.  And  when  I  saw  you  here  I — I  forgot 
everything !" 

Nothing  could  be  more  charming  than  her  attitude, 
Ralph  thought,  though  he  did  not  purpose  yielding  to 
her  argument. 

"  Now,"  she  continued,  **  if  you  will  please  go — " 

"  Go  !"  he  exclaimed,  trying  to  laugh.     *'  Go — where  ?" 

*'  To  some  hotel — " 

*'  Well,  I  guess  not,  my  dear  !  These  are  my  rooms, 
and  you  can  hardly  drive  me  out  of  them  in  the  middle 
of  the  night  at  your  fancy." 

It  looked  like  one  of  the  old  quarrels,  but  t>^  girl  wa9 


AN   OATH    ON   THE   CBUOIFIX.  IQT 

oo  engrossed  in  the  important  question  at  issue  to  get 
(ingry. 

"  Please  leave  me,  then,  till  I  can  dress,  and  /  wili  go," 
jhe  said,  gently.  "We  cannot  remain  here  together. 
No,  we  cannot,  indeed  !" 

Her  eyes  lit  on  a  crucifix  in  her  drawer — a  crucifix 
that  she  had  owned  all  her  life,  and  that  money  could 
not  have  bought.  She  took  it  up,  pressed  it  to  her  lips, 
and  then  knelt  on  the  carpet.  Before  the  symbol  of  a 
faith  he  could  not  comprehend  Ralph  Melbourg's  tem- 
per vanished. 

"  I  will  go,  Nathalie,"  he  whispered, 
"  May  the  Holy  Virgin  bless  you  !"  she  cried.     "But, 
oh,  Ralph  !     How  I  hate  to  have  you  leave  me  !" 

"  It  is  enough  for  me  to  hear  you  say  that,"  he  smiled. 
"Kiss  me  good-night  now,  before  I  change  my  mind. 
No?"  he  added,  as  she  shrank  from  him.  "  I  only  want 
a  brother's  kiss.     Surely  you  can  give  me  that !" 

"  A  brother  would  not  be  in  my  room  when  I  was 
dressed  in  this  costume,"  said  the  girl,  and  a  blush  cov- 
ered her  face  as  she  spoke. 

He  walked  slowly  to  the  door.  Then  he  paused  and 
said,  with  vehemence  : 

"  Why  are  all  the  nicest  things  in  this  world  so 
wicked  ?  To  kiss  the  girl  I  love,  to  clasp  her  in  my  arms 
—why  is  that  wrong  ?  I  would  give  more  to  hold  those 
little  feet  of  yours  in  my  hands  to-night  than  to  plunge 
my  arms  elbow-deep  in  gold  coin  !  Why  must  I  seek  a 
cheerless  bed  in  some  miserable  hotel  instead  of  staying 
here  with  the  dearest  thing  that  breathes  .5"' 

This  unexpected  burst  was  too  much  for  the  volatile 
French  girl.    She  extended  her  arms,  and  moved  toward 
him. 
"  Ralph,  you  may  stay  I** 


IfS  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

But  now  it  was  his  turn  to  become  obdurate. 

"  No,  I  shall  go,"  he  replied,  firmly, 

"But  not  out  of  the  house,"  she  said,  pleadingly.  **  '1\ 
will  be  very  lonesome.  Sleep  in  the  next  room.  There 
will  be  no  harm  in  that." 

"  Yes,  it  would  be  equally  bad  for  your  reputation." 

Tears  sprang  to  the  girl's  eyes. 

"  Ralph,  I  have  none  !" 

He  caught  her  in  his  arms,  to  kiss  away  the  salt  drops. 
She  began  to  sob,  partly  at  the  mental  strain  she  had 
undergone,  and  partly  at  the  impetuosity  of  her  lover. 
But  he  whispered  something  in  her  ear  that  made  hei 
raise  her  eyes  to  his.  He  pressed  a  long  kiss  on  the 
trembling  lips,  and  repeated  his  words. 

"  You  do  not  mean  it !"  she  said,  "Why  do  you  say 
Buch  things  to  me  ?" 

He  put  her  down,  and  took  up  the  crucifiac. 

"  Shall  I  swear  on  this  ?" 

She  took  it  from  him,  saying  he  did  not  believe  in  it ; 
and  he  took  it  back  again. 

"  It  is  sacred  to  you,  and  that  will  make  it  so  to  me," 
he  said.  "  Now,  on  this  cross  I  swear  to  do  what  I  told 
you." 

She  received  his  kiss  again,  saying,  "  You  may  stay 
low,  for  I  know  you  will  keep  your  word." 

"  No  ;  worlds  would  not  tempt  me  to  remain  with  you 
ifterthat  oath  !"  he  answered.  "I  will  sleep  in  the  next 
room,  however,  that  you  may  feel  protected.  Only,"  he 
smiled,  "  there  are  bolts  on  your  door,  and  you  will 
withdraw  them  at  your  own  risk." 

She  laughed,  and  said  she  was  no  longer  afraid. 

Very  early  the  next  morning  Ralph  awoke  to  find 
Nathalie  at  his  bed-side,  fully  dressed  in  the  plain  gar* 
ments  she  had  worn  at  the  mill. 


**I    AM    A    MURDEEEK.*  193 

"We  have  hardly  more  than  time  to  .2:et  breakfast  and 
take  the  earh'  train  for  Riverfall,"  she  said,  stooping 
down  to  kiss  him. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  was  ready  to  accompany  her. 
But  before  they  left  the  house  he  led  her  into  her  own 
room,  took  up  the  crucifix,  and  said,  devoutly  : 

"  My  little  wife  that  is  to  be,  the  oath  I  took  last  night 
I  now  renew  1" 


CHAPTER  XVL 

**  I    AM    A    MURDERER." 

**  How  is  our  patient  this  morning  ?** 

It  was  Philip  Westland's  question  to  Ellen,  as  he  met 
her  at  Dr.  McNally's  gate,  on  the  day  after  he  engaged 
that  physician  to  care  for  the  youngest  Mulligan.  In 
the  multiplicity  of  her  cares  she  had  still  found  time  to 
call  frequently  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  sick 
child. 

"  Patsy  is  alive  and  we  hope  for  the  best,  though  his 
recovery  is  yet  a  matter  of  uncertainty,"  she  replied. 
"  There  were  more  than  a  thousand  persons  in  River- 
fall  exposed  to  the  same  danger  last  night.  But  that 
you  knew  already,"  she  added,  looking  him  full  in  the 
eyes. 

"  Not  a  soul  has  slept  out  of  doors  except  by  his  de- 
liberate choice,"  he  answered,  rather  fretfully.  *'  How- 
can  a  corporation  be  experled  to  furnish  houses  for 
people  who  are  doing  their  'jest  to  destroy  it  ?  Ellen, 
you  and  I  should  be  hoAei^t  •sis^u^gh  nol,  to  evade  that 
issue." 


194  SPEAKING   OF   ELLKIT. 

They  had  left  the  doctor's,  and  were  walking  \,<i^y 
slov/ly  toward  the  village. 

"  Is  not  turning  them  out  of  doors  on  the  approach 
of  winter  rather  rough  usage  ?"  she  asked.  "  Last  night 
the  sky  was  the  only  covering  for  many  of  the  corpora 
ation's  former  servants.  A  kind  friend — Mr.  Ralph 
Melbourg,  with  whom  I  believe  you  are  acquainted — 
has  sent  us  tents  that  will  accommodat'i  a  part  of  us  to- 
night ;  but  he  has  done,  I  believe,  nr  miore  than  Philip 
Westland  would  do,  v  re  he  oot  t^  agent  of  the  mill 
corporation." 

He  answered  quif...=./5,  Eest  sS:'  -iiould  s?sr>pose  for  a 
moment  t!iat  he  endorsed  her  ijtatement. 

**  No,  I  would  not.  I  think  it  worn,,  be  mistaken 
charity,  '.lie  qui;  .er  the  strikers  are  reduced  to  ex- 
tremity t.?,.2  SOOee.  vill  they  betake  themselves  to  some 
place  wh  „.^e  they  (  n  earn  an  honest  living.  If  Ralph's 
purpose  is  to  benefit  the  people  of  Riverfall,  he  has 
adopted  t'le  wrong:  method." 

At  a  tr  -n  in  the  road    they  encountered  Hugh  May 
field,  wh'   ':x)wed  t    litely  to  Westland  and  raised  his  ha- 
to  Ellen.     She  stiw  that  he   brought   tidings,  and  sur- 
mised that  they  were  unpleasant  ones. 

"  What  is  it,  Hugh  ?"  she  asked.  "  I  think  we  can  have 
no  secrets  from  our  friend  here." 

He  rep''ed,  without  hesitation  : 

"  The  t  wn  offic?  -  Is  have  forbidden  us  to  erect  our  tents 
on  the  (  .  mmon.  They  say  it  is  an  unwarranted  use  of 
the  pubLo  titommuL  ' 

Ellen  thought  a  moment. 

"  They  allowed  coti's  to  be  pastured  on  it  all  summer/* 
she  said,  slowly,  "  but  of  course  this  is  different.  We  can 
have  no  conflict  with  the  law.  We  must  try  to  find  soro« 
other  place." 


"  I    AM    A   MUKDEKER,"  195 

Westland  was  touched  at  the  gentleness  of  her  man- 
ner. 

"I  wish  I  could  persuade  you  to  advise  the  people  to 
gc  to  work  again,"  he  said,  earnestly.  "  I  will  do  any 
reasonable  thing  to  bring  that  about  except  to  alter  the 
schedule.  Your  courage  is  admirable,  but  your  case  is 
hopeless.  Do  not  let  obstinacy  carry  you  too  far  be- 
yond the  point  of  wisdom.  How  can  I  ask  my  direc- 
tors to  give  up  wlien  your  every  move  is  an  open 
defiance .''" 

Before  Ellen  could  answer,  the  constable  who  had 
charge  of  the  evictions  came  toward  them. 

"  A  word  with  you,  Mr.  Westland,  if  you  please,"  he 
said. 

With  Ellen's  example  before  him  Westland  could  only 
reply  : 

"  If  you  come  on  business,  you  may  speak  where  we 
are." 

'*  In  the  list  of  those  ordered  out  to-day,"  said  the  con- 
stable, "is  a  man  named  Converse,  who  declares  t'lat 
he  will  not  move.  He  has  fortified  himself  with  arms 
and  provisions,  and  dares  us  to  cross  his  threshold." 

"Did  you  come  to  make  any  suggestion  or  inquiry?" 
asked  the  agent,  coldly. 

"  Yes  sir  ;  I  want  to  know  what  we  are  to  do," 

"I  am  surprised,"  replied  Westland,  "that  a  man 
clothed  with  the  authority  of  your  office,  and  who  can 
call  upon  all  the  power  of  the  Commonwealth  if  he  needs 
it,  should  ask  such  a  question  of  me." 

The  constable  looked  nonplussed. 

"Then  you  want  him  removed  at  any  cost.?"  said  he,  in- 
terrogatively. 

"  I  decline  to  give  you  instructions  as  to  your  duty," 
replied  the  agent 


196  iPSAKnra  of  ellkv. 

The  constable  reflected  a  moment,  and  then  walked 

away  in  a  brown  study. 

"The  statute  is  as  plain  as  the  nose  >n  that  man's 
face,"  said  Westland,  to  Ellen,  when  the  constable  was 
out  of  hearing.  "  In  a  government  of  laws  we  must  take 
things  as  they  are." 

Ellen  looked  tired  and  careworn,  but  in  her  eyes  there 
was  no  trace  of  the  word  "  surrender." 

"  Converse  is  a  man  who  means  well,"  she  answered, 
"but  he  was  too  uncontrollable  for  us.  I  hope  no  one 
will  get  injured  through  him.  '  You  are  witness  that  none 
of  my  people  (she  laid  great  stress  on  the  word)  hav& 
offered  you  any  resistance." 

When  Westland  returned  to  the  Agency  he  found  that 
an  unexpected  guest  had  come  to  dinner.  It  was  Mr. 
Ezra  Baker,  who  had  run  down  to  take  a  personal  obser- 
vation of  what  was  going  on.  In  the  course  of  the  con- 
versation that  followed,  the  ex-agent  used  many  expres* 
sions  in  regard  to  the  strike  that  were  very  offensive  to 
his  successor,  and  compelled  him  to  reply  for  some  time 
in  monosyllables.  When  the  noonday  meal  was  served 
they  sat  down  to  it  alone,  Westland  having  thought  best 
to  advise  Edna  not  to  be  present,  as  he  did  not  desire 
her  to  meet  a  man  of  whose  gentlemanly  qualities  he 
had  such  a  poor  opinion.  Baker  gave  a  long  story 
about  meeting  Ralph  at  the  theatre,  and  managed  to 
make  the  recital  so  disagreeable  that  his  host  could 
hardly  endure  to  listen.  But  the  culminating  point 
came  when  he  turned  his  attention  to  Ellen,  and  alluded 
to  her  in  terms  that  no  decent  man  could  have  used. 
What  he  said  need  not  b<  repeated,  but  it  was  sufficient 
to  arouse  Westland  to  «.h^  highest  pitch  of  indig<t7tio». 

'^  Z  have  listened  t^  yo'i^  sir,"  he  said,  rising  to  hif  ittX^ 


''l  AM  A  MUBDEREB."  197 

**as  long  as  I  possibly  can.  Will  you  do  me  the  kind- 
ness to  leave  the  house  ?" 

"  Leave  the  house  !"  repeated  Baker,  insolently,  as 
soon  as  he  could  speak  for  astonishment.  "  I  will  do 
that  at  my  own  convenience.  I  think  this  house  is 
owned  by  the  corporation  of  which  I  am  a  director." 

Westland  walked  to  the  dining-room  door,  and  through 
the  hall  to  the  street  entrance.  Leaving  each  of  the 
portals  open,  he  returned  to  where  he  had  left  Baker. 

"  This  house  is  at  present  under  my  control  !"  he  said, 
savagely.  *'  Now,  you  can  either  get  out  or  be  kicked 
out  !" 

Baker  chose  the  former  alternative  ;  but  as  he  de- 
scended the  steps  of  the  mansion  his  threats  of  venge- 
ance could  have  been  heard  for  some  distance. 

When  Westland  had  time  to  think,  he  was  disgusted 
with  himself.  He  could  not  remember  another  time  in 
all  his  life  when  he  had  so  given  way  to  anger.  He  had 
boasted  of  his  ability  to  control  himself  under  all  cir- 
cumstances. He  trembled  to  think  what  he  might 
have  done  had  Baker  resisted. 

The  voices  of  the  men  had  been  raised  so  high  that 
Edna  Melbourg,  sitting  in  the  adjacent  parlor,  had  heard 
something  of  the  disturbance.  When  all  was  quiet  again 
she  came  out  to  meet  Westland. 

"  What  was  it,  Philip  ?"  she  asked,  with  the  frankness 
of  long  acquaintance. 

"  A  dog,"  he  answered,  sharply,  "  tried  to  bite  one  of 
my  friends,  and  I  turned  him  out  of  the  house.  Do 
not  ask  me  any  more.     It  is  not  pleasant  to  think  of." 

"  I  am  glad  I  did  not  dine  with  you,"  she  said,  after 
a  moment's  pause.     "  What  do  you  hear  of  Ralph  ?" 

"  He  has  joined  the  strikers,  and  is  spending  his  money 
tfO  help  them  to  resist  the  corporation.    Baker  told  lae 


198  SPEAKING   OF   ELLKBT. 

something  else  of  him,  but  he  is  such  a  liar  that  1  place 

no  reliance  on  it." 

"Ralph  is  a  boy  of  the  best  intentions, "  she  said, 
extenuatingly. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  grimly,  **  but  do  not  forget  that 
nell  is  paved  with  that  material." 

That  night  over  two  thousand  persons  were  roofless 
m  Riverfall.  The  militia  officers  still  gave  Ellen  the 
use  of  what  tents  they  could  spare,  though  "  prominent 
citizens  "  of  the  State,  all  of  whom  happened,  curiously 
enough,  to  own  stocks  in  mills,  wrote  sharp  letters  to 
Colonel  Caswell,  remonstrating  against  his  action.  The 
colonel  acknowledged  no  authority  except  that  of  his 
superior  officers,  and  no  word  had  come  as  yet  from 
them  on  the  subject.  The  tents  that  Ralph  sent  were 
pitched  in  a  private  lot  in  the  low  district,  a  very  unfit 
place  on  various  accounts,  but  better  than  none.  But 
when  night  fell  there  were  still  more  than  two  thousand 
persons  entirely  out  of  doors,  and  these  included  many 
women  and  children.  And  to  add  to  the  discomfort,  a 
drizzling  rain  set  in. 

Ellen  made  one  more  attempt  to  soften  the  hearts  of 
the  town  officials,  and  secure  the  opening  of  the  public 
buildings  for  at  least  a  portion  of  the  more  helpless  of 
he  outcasts.  Her  only  answer  was  a  reiteration  of  the 
old  refusals.  The  authorities  were,  as  afterwards  trans- 
pired, under  the  pay  of  several  of  the  mill  stockholders, 
and  they  had  gone  too  far  to  recede.  After  that  Ellen 
tried  some  of  the  churches  again,  but  without  avail. 
The  rain  began  to  increase  in  volume,  and  when  she 
returned  to  headquarters  she  was  seriously  alarmed  at 
the  prospect.  She  found  Nathalie  awaiting  her,  and 
knew  by  the  bright  smile  on  the  girl's  fac*  that  fthfl 
katd  something  pleasant  to  cemmunicate 


•*I   All   A   MITRDERER."  19f 

"  I  have  just  left  Pere  Laroche,"  she  said.  "  We  have 
had  a  long  talk.  His  heart  was  with  us,  but  he  feared 
the  bishop.  The  tendency  of  the  church  is  to  discourage 
strikes,  he  said,  and  he  did  not  dare  show  too  much 
sympathy,  but  when  he  saw  the  rain  he  was  much  dis- 
tressed. '  I'll  tell  you  what  you  can  do,  Father,*  said  I. 
*  You  can  announce  an  extra  vesper  service,  and  they  can 
attend.  Then,  if  the  rain  continues,  no  priest  would 
turn  the  people  out  into  it.'  *  I'll  do  it !'  cried  the  good 
Father,  delighted.  *  Tell  all  to  come  that  can  get  in- 
side the  doors.'  *  They  will  have  to  bring  their  bed- 
ding,' I  said,  *  to  keep  it  from  getting  spoiled,'  He 
hesitated  at  that,  but  finally  said  they  could  put  it 
in  the  vestry.  So  all  we  have  to  do  now  is  to  bid  every 
one  to  prayers  !" 

Ellen  kissed  the  girl  on  the  forehead,  which  amply 
repaid  her  for  her  successful  move  ;  and,  after  a 
moment's  consultation  with  Hugh,  she  issued  the  neces- 
sary proclamation. 

Then  followed  a  scene  perhaps  unprecedented  in 
American  history.  The  people,  by  hundreds,  laden  with 
their  goods,  betook  themselves  to  the  sacred  edifice  so 
unexpectedly  opened  to  admit  them.  Soon  every  seat 
in  the  grand  auditorium  was  filled,  while  many  crowded 
the  aisles,  and  not  a  few  of  the  weaker  ones  stayed  below 
with  the  mattresses,  blankets  and  comforters  that  were 
there.  When  Pere  Laroche  ascended  the  altar  he  saw 
a  sight  that  gratified  his  pious  soul,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  filled  him  with  a  profound  pity.  The  service  was 
given  with  all  possible  impressiveness.  The  pastor's 
remarks  contained  allusions  to  the  peculiarities  of  the 
occasion,  which,  if  circumspect  and  guarded,  were  yet 
full  of  undisguised  feeling.  A  large  part  of  the  audience 
were    unable  to  understand   the  language  in  wkich  h« 


fOO  SPEAKING   OF  ELLBN, 

spoke,  and  some  were  Protestants  who  had  questioned 
whether  they  ought  to  enter  a  "  Popish  "  church,  even  to 
secure  shelter  from  a  storm.  But  the  benignant  counte- 
nance of  the  good  pere  and  the  comfortable  atmosphere 
of  the  edifice  soon  drove  away  all  doubts,  and  they  gazed 
with  the  interest  of  novices  at  the  (to  them)  strange 
proceedings. 

Philip  Westland,  uneasy  in  his  mind,  watched  the  slow 
shower  for  some  time  from  his  window  at  the  Agency. 
Then  he  donned  his  hat  and  a  rubber  overcoat,  and  walked 
down  into  the  village.  He  had  in  his  pocket  a  pass  that 
Colonel  Caswell  had  thoughtfully  sent,  entitling  him  to 
penetrate  the  military  lines  at  his  pleasure,  and  he  pre- 
sented it  whenever  he  happened  to  meet  a  sentinel.  His 
walk  was  aimless,  and  taken  merely  to  ward  off  his  ner- 
vousness. He  soon  noticed  that  the  streets  wore  a  de- 
serted appearance.  His  first  thought  was  that  the  town 
buildings  had  been  opened  to  them,  but  a  stroll  in  that 
direction  showed  the  sentries  still  on  guard,  and  no  lights 
at  the  windows.  He  had  a  curiosity  to  learn  what  had 
become  of  his  evicted  tenants,  but  he  was  too  proud  to 
ask,  and  he  might  have  gone  without  the  information 
had  not  one  of  the  soldiers,  seeing  his  inquiring  gaze  in 
all  directions,  come  to  tell  him. 

The  mill-agent  had  no  particular  care  for  the  French 
church — nor  for  any  other  church — but  ten  minutes 
!ater  he  softly  ascended  the  steps  of  I'Eglise  de  Sainte 
Marie.  With  noiseless  tread  he  reached  the  interior,  and 
looked  upon  the  remarkable  spectacle.  He  understood 
French  well  enough  to  comprehend  the  words  of  the 
priest,  who  had  taken  for  his  text  the  paragraph  relat- 
ing to  the  difficulty  of  the  rich  entering  heaven  As 
Westland's  eyes  rested  on  the  throng  he  felt  a  new  pity 
surging  through  his  brain  for  these  unfortunate  people 


"l  AM   A   MiraDBEEB.*  801 

Could  they  have  read  all  that  was  passing  in  his  mind, 
they  might  have  felt  a  pity  for  him,  too.  He  was  becom- 
ing sore  distressed,  and  was  as  nearly  ill  as  it  is  possible 
for  a  man  to  be  and  still  keep  his  feet.  Night  after 
night  of  insomnia  was  doing  its  work.  At  the  end  of  a 
few  minutes  he  left  the  church,  and,  for  want  of  any- 
thing else  to  do,  went  home. 

A  servant  handed  him  an  envelope,  with  the  remark 
that  a  messenger  had  brought  it  during  his  absence. 
He  looked  at  it  a  long  time  before  he  broke  the  seal, 
for  he  knew  the  superscription  to  be  Ezra  Baker's,  and 
he  did  not  like  to  read  anything  of  his.  When  at  last 
he  open'id  it  he  found  these  lines  : 

"  To  Philip  Westland,  agent  of  the  Great  Central 
Corporation  at  Riverfall  : 

The  undersigned  intends,  at  the  regular  meeting  of 
the  directors  which  occurs  to-morrow,  to  make  the  fol- 
lowing charges  against  you  : 

1.  That  you  have  wantonly  insulted  a  director  of  the 
corporation  at  the  Agency. 

2.  That  you  have  acted  contrary  to  the  interests  of 
the  corporation  in  these  respects,  namely  :  By  being 
unduly  intimate  with  several  of  the  leading  strikers  ; 
assisting  strikers  by  sending  them  a  physician  and  sup- 
plying medicines  ;  refusing  aid  to  a  constable  when  a 
striker  declined  to  vacate  his  tenement  after  being  warned 
to  do  so;  telling  the  commander  of  the  militia  sent  to 
guard  the  corporation  property  that  you  knew  of  no 
reason  why  he  was  sent  here,  thus  encouraging  the  law- 
breakers. 

3.  That  at  least  one  person,  if  not  more,  whose  income 
you  control,  has  been  using  his  property  for  the  aid  of 
the  strikers. 

4.  That  you  have  in  general  shown  a  signal  inability 
to  cope  with  the  strike,  and  ought  to  be  r&moved." 


SOS  SPKAKTNG   OF   BUSS. 

The  mill-agent  read  this  document  through  twice 
His  only  thought  was  that  Mr.  Baker  had  been  rathei 
busy  since  he  came  to  town,  to  acquire  so  much  infor- 
mation in  so  short  a  time.  Then  he  donned  his  hat  and 
rubber  overcoat  again,  and  sauntered  forth  once  more. 

Why  had  he  ever  undertaken  the  thankless  task  of 
settling  these  labor  troubles  ?  He  had  esteemed  it  a 
duty  he  owed  to  his  clients  and  wards,  but  was  it  really 
so  ?  There  were  other  large  owners  and  trustees  of 
Riverfall  property  as  well  as  he.  Why  must  his 
shoulders  bear  all  of  this  terrible  burden? 

He  strolled  over  toward  Dr.  McNally's,  thinking  he 
would  inquire  about  the  baby,  but  on  the  way  there  he 
met  Ellen.  As  he  paused  to  greet  her,  he  saw  that  her 
face  was  wet  with  tears,  and  the  eyes  she  raised  to  his 
were  so  blinded  that  she  could  hardly  see  him. 

A  chill  passed  over  his  frame  ;  a  chill  like  that  which 
comes  to  one  who  stands  at  the  newly-opened  entrance 
to  a  tomb  ! 

"  Do  not  speak  I"  he  said,  hoarsely.  "  I  know  it  all. 
The  child  is  dead  !" 

She  put  one  hand  against  his  breast,  bearing  a  little 
of  her  weight  upon  him. 

"Don't  mind  it  too  much,"  she  said,  speaking  with 
difficulty.  "  Perhaps — I  am  not  sure — it  may  be — he 
would  have  died  any  way.  He  has  never  been  very 
well." 

"  No,"  he  responded,  like  one  who  talks  in  his  sleep 
"You  cannot  lessen  my  guilt.      I  am  a  murderer  !" 

She  cried  out  at  that,  and  tried  to  detain  him.  But  he 
went  home  in  a  daze.  In  his  bedroom  he  found  in  the 
long  mirror  the  same  figure  that  had  confronted  him 
before,  only  it  had  grown  more  fierce  and  haggard. 

••  I  know."  he  said,  humbly.     "  I  make  no  defence. ** 


A    LITTLE   FIRE   IN    THE  «SAT$.  SOS 

But  he  would  not  remain  there.  He  sought  a  sofa  in 
the  room  below,  where  the  accusing  spirit  could  nc'. 
glare  at  him.  And  there  he  staid,  with  the  lamps  all 
lighted,  till  another  dark  morning  came. 


CHAPTER   XVn. 

A    LITTLE    FIRE   IN    THE   GRATE. 

No  resident  of  Riverfall  will  ever  be  likely  to  forgei 
the  day  following  the  events  narrated  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  To  Philip  Westland  especially  it  seems  to  stand 
alone  among  the  days  of  that  remarkable  week. 

It  was  cloudy,  but  the  rain  had  ceased  falling.  The 
lodgers  in  the  French  church  were  rather  sorry  to  see 
that  the  weather  was  clearing.  There  would  soon  be  no 
longer  an  excuse  for  good  Father  Laroche  to  turn  the 
sacred  edifice  into  an  inn. 

Colonel  Caswell  and  his  commissioned  officers  had 
slept  well  at  the  Riverfall  House.  Their  men,  who  were 
patrolling  in  the  rain,  were  not  so  lucky,  however,  as  their 
superiors.  They  were  getting  tired  of  playing  soldier, 
where  there  did  not  seem  likely  to  be  anything  to  do  in 
the  way  of  quelling  disturbances.  Still  the  State  au- 
ihorities  gave  no  order  to  evacuate,  and  the  apparently 
useless  garrison  was  kept  up. 

Ralph  Melbourg  had  slept  with  the  "  other  strikers  " 
in  the  church,  lying  on  one  of  the  mattresses  in  the  broad 
aisle,  within  reach  of  Nathalie's  hand,  which  he  clasped 
furtively  under  a  coverlet.  It  seemed  very  odd  to  be 
there,  after  the  services  were  ended,  among  tliese  tired 


204  spejLking  of  ellen, 

work-people,  with  that  dear  little  hand  clasped  in  hit 
own.  The  gas-lamps  were  partially  lowered,  and  a  "  dim, 
religious  light  "  enveloped  the  auditorium.  The  face  of 
the  Saviour,  depicted  in  many  scenes  of  his  unselfish  life, 
looked  down  on  the  concourse  with  a  divine  compassion. 
Amid  these  surroundings  Ralph  felt  the  most  serene  con- 
tentment. When  all  about  him  were  asleep  except  the 
girl  whose  hand  he  held,  he  leaned  over  and  pressed  a 
kiss  upon  her  lips.  No  purer  act  was  ever  witnessed  by 
the  eyes  of  angels.  When  he  had  done  this  he  fell  into 
a  quiet  slumber,  still  holding  the  tiny  hand  as  if  it  were 
an  anchor  that  would  keep  him  from  drifting  out  into 
the  Unknown. 

Edna,  in  her  rooms  at  the  Agency,  was  much  troubled 
in  her  mind.  She  knew  that  Westland  was  undergoing 
a  strain  so  great  that  serious  consequences  might  be 
feared.  The  blind  girl  knew  also  that  her  heart  had  gone 
over  to  the  opposition,  as  Ralph's  had  done,  but  her  in- 
firmity kept  her  within  certain  limitations,  and  besides 
she  felt  that  Philip  needed  her  at  present  more  than  any 
one  else.  She  had  never  till  recently  supposed  there 
were  two  sides  to  a  labor  agitation.  Her  education  had 
always  taught  her  that  mill  people  were  of  a  restless, 
aggressive  mind,  and  were  periodically  stirred  up  to 
make  unreasonable  demands,  by  a  set  of  rascally  fellows 
who  had  personal  ends  to  serve.  But,  in  place  of  sight, 
Edna  had  an  increased  acuteness  of  hearing.  When  she 
heard  Ellen  and  Hugh,  honesty  sounded  in  every  sylla- 
ble, and  the  words  sunk  deep  into  her  plastic  mind.  She 
saw  that  there  was  a  mistake  somewhere.  If  they  were 
right,  then  Philip  was  woefully  wrong.  She  had  thought 
of  these  matters  very  late  on  the  previous  night,  and  on 
the  morning  of  which  we  write  she  rose  with  a  feeling 
of  unusual  apprehension. 


A    LITTLE    FIRE    IN  THE   GRATK.  905 

Badly  as  Westland  himself  slept,  he  left  the  sofa  at 
daylight  and  went  out  for  a  walk.  Although  it  was  so 
early,  others  were  stirring  also,  among  them  Mr.  Ezra 
Baker,  whom  he  met  sauntering  along  the  sidewalk,  wear. 
ing  a  complacent  smile.  It  was  not  in  Westland's  nature 
to  be  uncivil,  except  under  great  provocation,  and  he  re 
turned  a  forced  answer  to  Mr.  Baker's  ironical  '*  Good- 
morning." 

An  inclination  he  could  not  resist  led  him  among  the 
tents.  First  he  visited  those  that  Ralph  had  furnished. 
They  looked  damp  and  cheerless.  The  location  of  these 
tents  was  most  unsuitable  for  purposesof  residence,  being 
on  low  land,  toward  which  surface  water  naturally  flowed. 
As  he  came  along,  he  saw  that  the  women  were  astir  and 
that  the  children  were  being  washed  and  dressed. 
Some  strange-looking  edibles  were  simmering  in  kettles 
hung  out  of  doors,  over  improvised  fires. 

The  faces  that  the  agent  encountered  did  not  greet  him 
with  especial  signs  of  pleasure,  and  he  wandered  over  to 
the  Common,  He  went  toward  the  officers*  tents,  still 
given  up  to  the  more  helpless  of  the  strikers.  As  he 
drew  near  he  heard  one  saying  to  another,  "The  funeral 
will  be  to-morrow."  And,  shaking  with  a  chill  wholly 
out  of  proportion  to  the  coldness  of  the  atmosphere,  he 
turned  his  steps  toward  the  Agency. 

"  Perhaps  he  would  have  died  any  way." 

Ellen  had  told  him  that,  in  hesitating  accents,  striving 
between  her  tendency  toward  absolute  truth  and  her 
disinclination  to  give  him  pain.  He  went  in  to  breakfast 
and  ate  something,  despite  the  heavy  burden  he  was 
carrying.  Criminals  who  are  doomed  to  die  at  ten 
o'clock  are  often  said  by  the  enterprising  newspaper 
men  who  observe  their  last  moments  to  "  eat  heartily  " 
at  nine.     Westland's  strength  had  failed  rapidly  during 


SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

the  past  fortnight,  but  he  did  his  best  to  keep  it  up,  and 
he  and  Edna  took  their  meal  together  that  morning  as 
usual.  When  it  was  finished  he  complied  with  her  request 
to  spend  a  few  minutes  with  har  in  the  parlor. 

She  held  open  the  door,  and,  when  he  passed  in,  closed 
it  behind  him.  Then  she  came  to  where  he  was,  with  an 
accuracy  that  perfect  vision  could  not  have  surpassed, 
and  he  took  her  hands  to  guide  her  to  a  seat  beside  him 
on  a  sofa. 

"  No,  not  there,"  she  whispered.  "  Get  me  a  low  stoo! 
or  hassock  that  I  may  sit  at  your  feet.  I  feel  very 
humble  this  morning." 

He  found  her  a  hassock,  and  she  assumed  the  position 
she  had  indicated,  laying  her  head  upon  his  knees. 
Time  passed  on  and  she  said  nothing.  At  last  he  broke 
the  stillness. 

"  What  is  it,  Edna  ?" 

*'  I  only  wanted  to  feel  some  one  near  me  again,"  she 
said.  "  Some  one  I  cared  for  before  I  came  into  this 
sorrowful  place.  It  is  not  hwe  that  I  feel  for  you — oh, 
no  !  I  am  sure  now  that  it  is  not  love  ! — but  I  want  very 
much  to  receive  sympathy — and — and  to  give  it.  We 
need  it,  as  we  never  did  before — both  of  us  !" 

He  stroked  her  hair  gently,  after  the  old  fashion. 

*'  I  realize  all  at  once  how  I  have  neglected  you  in  the 
crush  of  my  duties  here,"  said  he.  *'  That  you  need 
sympathy  in  this  out-of-the-way  town,  with  these  gloomy 
surroundings,  I  can  well  believe.  But  I — for  what  could 
I  need  it  ?" 

"  You  do  need  it,  Philip,  for  you  are  in  the  most  trying 
of  situations.  You  are  striving  to  do  right,  and  are  not 
certain  that  after  all  j'our  endeavors  you  are  succeeding. 
And  there  is  another  reason  why  you  need  it,  and  for 
that   I  wish  to  give  it  to  you  most.     You  have  at  lasf 


A   UTTLB    FIRE    IN   THE   OEATB.  JOT 

found  a  woman  you  love,  and  see  between  you  a  great 
gulf  fixed." 

Nothing  could  surprise  him.  At  another  time  he 
might  have  wondered  who  told  the  inmost  secret  of  his 
heart  to  this  girl,  but  he  never  thought  of  that.  Every- 
thing had  become  a  matter  of  course. 

"  Great  gulfs  have  been  bridged  before  now,"  he  said, 
thoughtfully.  "  As  to  the  other  matter,  there  is  liable  to 
be  a  change  very  soon.  The  directors  meet  this  morning 
at  eleven  o'clock." 

"For  what  purpose?" 

"It  is  their  regular  monthly  meeting,  but  a  special 
matter  will  come  up.  Baker  is  to  submit  charges  agaiast 
me." 

"  Against  >w/./" 

Absolute  incredulity  was  in  the  expression. 
"Yes.      He  accuses  me  of  mismanagement  and  of  too 
great  leniency  to  the  strikers." 
"What   shall  you  do.?" 

"That  will  depend  on  circumstances.     I  am  a  little  out 
of  patience,  but  I  shall  try  to  meet  it  with  calmness." 
She  took  one  of  his  hands  and  pressed  it  to  her  lips. 
"  I  could   advise  you,  Philip,  but  I  will  not.     Let  your 
heart  lead  you.     It  will  be  your  best  guide." 

The  directors  met  at  the  time  appointed,  and  so  great 
was  the  interest  in  the  situation  that  every  member  of 
the  board  was  present.  When  the  routine  business  had 
been  transacted,  the  agent  madp  a  report  of  what  he  had 
done  and  was  doing  to  carry  out  the  policy  of  the  corpo- 
ration. Although  the  directors  had  explicitly  instructed 
him  to  pursue  the  precise  course  he  had  followed,  they 
were  in  a  dissatisfied  frame  of  mind.  They  had  vindi- 
cated their  power,  to  be  sure,  but  the  longing  for  divi- 
dends,  which  is  so  large  a  part  of  the  make-up  oi  a  mill- 


f08  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

director,  led  them  to  place  their  main  thoughts  upon  the 
slight  prospects  of  success  in  that  direction.  In  all 
cases  of  the  kind  the  actuary  bears  the  blame  for  adverse 
results,  no  matter  how  fully  his  superiors  have  endorsed 
his  course  in  advance.  When  Mr.  Baker's  "•  charges" 
were  produced  and  read  to  the  meeting,  they  fell  on 
attentive  ears. 

"  Does  Agent  Westland  wish  to  reply  to  these  charges 
at  the  present  time,"  asked  the  president,  Mr.  Erastus 
Stebbins,  who  occupied  the  chair,  "or  shall  they  be  re- 
ferred to  a  special  committee  under  the  rules?" 

Westland  rose  with  the  utmost  coolness.  He  took  the 
paper  that  Baker  had  submitted,  and  glanced  over  its 
contents. 

"  I  have  never,"  he  said,  "  wantonly  insulted  any  per- 
son in  my  life.  I  did  order  from  this  house  the  person 
who  makes  these  charges,  because  he,  while  sitting  as  a 
guest  at  my  table,  used  expressions  unfit  for  any  decent 
presence.  I  have  been  intimate  with  the  two  leading 
strikers,  and  have  used  my  best  endeavors  to  convince 
them  of  the  hopelessness  of  the  fight  they  were  waging 
against  the  corporation  I  represent.  I  sent  a  doctor  to 
attend  an  infant  belonging  to  one  of  the  strikers,  which" 
— here  his  voice  choked — "has  since  died.  I  told  a  con- 
stable who  applied  to  know  whether  he  should  use  force 
on  a  tenant  who  refused  to  obey  his  notice,  that  he 
ought  to  know  his  duty  without  applying  to  me.  I  said 
to  the  commander  of  the  militia  which  is  quartered 
here  that  I  knew  of  no  troubles  that  the  local  police 
could  not  manage,  and  the  quietness  of  the  town  has 
borne  out  my  statement.  It  is  a  fact  that  a  young  man 
whose  property  I  hold  in  trust,  but  over  whose  actions  I 
have  no  control,  has,  against  my  protest,  assisted  the 
strikers.     So  much  for  these  allegations.      As  to  the  iasf 


A   LITTLE   FIRE   IN   THE    GRATE.  909 

one.  th«t  I  ought  to  be  removed,  it  is  enough  for  me  to 
fenow  that  a  single  director  holds  that  opinion.  I  shall 
take  pleasure  in  resigning  a  position  I  never  sought,  and 
have  reluctantly  consented  until  now  to  retain  " 

A  dead  silence  fell  on  the  assembly.     Then  the  presi- 
dent  asked  : 

"Do    I  understand    that   Agent    Westland    offers   his 
resignation  ?" 

"I  shall  offer  it  within  a  few  days,'  was  his  reply 
Ezra  Baker  arose. 

"I  trust    the  clerk  will   take  notice  in  his  record,"  he 
said,      that  the  agent  withdraws  under  charges  " 

"That  is  as  you  please,"  said  Westland,  in  response  to 
the  interrogative   look  of  the  clerk.     "  It  is  a  matter  ot 
complete  indifference  to  me." 
Then  he  left  the  room. 

An  hour  later,  when  he  returned,  the  clerk  handed 
him  a  copy  of  a  vote  which  had  been  passed.  The  presi- 
dent  was  empowered  to  accept  the  agent's  resigna. 
tion  whenever  it  should  be  offered,  and  thereupon  to 
place  the  corporation  property  in  the  hands  of  Mr 
Baker,  who  had  consented  to  take  charge  until  a  regular* 
election  could  occur.  All  of  the  directors  except  Baker 
had  left  town  on  the  early  train,  and  the  clerk  soon  ^ol- 
lowed  them. 

At  lunch  Westland  seemed  imbued  with  new  spirits 
Edna  thought  she  had  never  known  such  a  sudden  change 
m  any  one.  He  told  her  of  the  action  of  the  directors 
saying  it  would  now  be  but  .  few  days  before  she  would 
have  to  change  her  quarters.  He  suggested  that  River- 
fall  must  be  getting  dull  for  her,  and  that  she  had  best 
go  back  to  the  city,  but  she  would  not  consent  to  think 
©fthat.     She  wanted  t®  St  ^y  and  see  it  out,  she  said     S« 


810  H'EAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

it  was  arranged  that  he  should  secure  apartments  fof 
her,  as  v/ell  as  for  himself,  at  the  Riverfall  House. 

The  first  thing  he  did  after  lunch  was  to  send  for  the 
constable  who  had  attended  to  the  ejectment  of  the 
tenants  from  the  corporation  houses.  As  he  had  not 
spoken  to  that  functionary  since  the  day  he  declined  to 
give  instructions  in  the  Converse  matter,  it  was  some- 
thing of  a  surprise  to  him  to  be  summoned.  Another 
thing  it  may  be  worth  while  to  state.  Not  a  word  of  the 
directors*  aetion  had  transpired  in  the  village  up  to  that 
hour. 

"  How  many  unserved  writs  of  ejectment  have  you  re- 
maining ?  "  asked  the  agent. 

"About  three  hundred." 

**  Where  are  they  .?  " 

"Here,  in  this  package." 

"  1  will  take  them."  , 

The  constable,  in  some  surprise,  handed  them  ovei',  in- 
quiring when  he  should  call  for  them. 

"  Never,"  answered  Westland.  "  They  are  not  to  be 
served." 

"Not  —  to  —  be  —  served!"  echoed  the  astonished 
official. 

"  Precisely.  That  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you  at  pres- 
ent." 

When  the  constable  had  left  the  house,  Westland 
placed  the  package  in  an  open  fireplace,  and  applied  a 
match  to  it.  After  he  had  watched  it  slowly  consuming, 
he  strolled  down  town  and  sought  out  Hugh.  The  first 
lieutenant  of  the  striking  forces,  when  he  was  found, 
came  up  and  shook  hands  in  his  usual  court^Dus  manner. 

"  I  want  to  meet  all  of  the  corporation's  dispossessed 
tenants  where  I  can  speak  to  them  in  a  body,"  said 
Westland.     "  I  have  a  message  for  them." 


A   LITTLE   FIBE    IN   THE   ORATE.  3H 

Hugh  bowed  silently,  and  went  off  to  find  Ellen,  with 
whom  he  soon  returned.  This  was  not  what  the  agent 
wanted.  He  had  hoped  to  accomplish  his  intention 
without  a  preliminary  conference  with  her. 

"  I  learn,"  she  said,  pleasantly,  "  that  you  have  a  com- 
munication to  make  to  your  ex-employes.  As  I  possess 
the  delegated  power  to  represent  them  in  all  things, 
would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  deliver  your  message  to  me." 

As  he  looked  into  her  clear  eyes,  he  felt  a  great  chok- 
ing in  his  throat.  How  strong  his  love  had  grown  foi 
this  superb  creature,  who  seemed  as  far  from  him  as  on* 
of  those  stars  that  gaze  on  us  at  night  from  out  tht 
inaccessible  empyrean. 

"  If  I  give  the  message  to  you,  it  must  be  when  we  arii 
alone." 

"I  am  content.     Name  the  time  and  place." 

*'The  Agency,"  he  said,  "at  three  o'clock." 

"i  will  be  there." 

The  temporary  relief  that  resigning  the  position  ot 
agent  of  the  corporation  had  given  him  seemed  to  hav« 
vanished.  If  he  had  doubted  that  he  was  far  from  well, 
the  faintness  that  came  over  him  before  he  reached  tha 
Agency  would  have  given  him  a  warning.  He  went 
into  the  parlor  and  waited  with  some  misgivings.  As 
the  clock  was  striking  the  hour  agreed  upon,  a  servant 
ushered  Ellen  into  his  presence.  He  motioned  her  to  a 
chair. 

"  Let  us  proceed  at  once  to  business,"  he  said,  and  she 
saw  that  he  was  looking  unusually  pale.  "  Would  it  be 
any  object  to  you — and  to  the  others — if  I  were  to  open 
the  houses  and  permit  all  to  occupy  their  old  premises 
for  the  present  ?  I  can  give  no  warrant  that  they  can 
remain  very  long — perhaps  not  more  than  two  or  thre* 


312  SFKAJKINO    OF    iiLLii,]^. 

weeks.     But — if  it  would  be  pleasant  to  you  to  have  mt 

do  so — I  would  like  to  admit  them  on  those  terms." 

She  saw  that  he  grew  still  whiter  as  he  proceeded. 

"Can  you  explain  this  any  more  fully  ?"  she  asked. 

"  No,  I  cannot.  I  have  already  taken  the  balance  of 
the  writs  from  the  constable,  which  will  leavo  those  not 
yet  dispossessed  in  their  houses.  The  ashes  that  you 
see  on  the  hearth  are  c.l  that  is  left  of  those  documents. 
If  the  others  would  like  to  go  back — if  yv^u  W'uld  like 
to  have  them — I  will  give  them  instant  pos^esrio.i.  It  is 
a  matter  of  my  own — it  is  nothing  tc  do  w"th  the 
directors — but  I  have  the  power  and  wili  exercise  it,  if 
you  desire.  When  they  are  dispossessed  igain — as  they 
doubtless  will  be — a  week's  notice  will  'be  necessary  as 
before.  I  know  the  nights  are  growing;  colder — and — I 
thought — 

His  words  came  slower  and  slower,  until  at  last  his 
power  of  utterance  ceased.  It  was  not  a  swoon,  but 
merely  the  result  of  overtaxed  energies  acting  upon  the 
vocal  organs.  Ellen  felt  that  there  was  more  cause  for 
his  emotion  than  appeared  on  the  surface,  but  she 
thoughtfully  avoided  saying  anything  that  might  add  to 
his  discomfort. 

"  I  will  tell  the  people  of  your  generous  offer,  and  I 
think  they  will  decide  to  accept  it,"  she  said.  "  As  you 
truly  say,  it  is  growing  very  cold  at  night.  Is  there 
tnything  more  ?" 

He  roused  himself  like  one  who  has  inhaled  pure  ait 
after  partial  asphyxiation. 

"  Yes,  Ellen,  there  is  another  thing.  I  shall  resign  my 
position  with  the  corporation  very  soon.  When  I  do  so 
I  wish  to  join  your  ranks,  with  what  property  and  Influ* 
•nee  I  possess." 


&   LITTLS  FIRB  IN  THS  6RATB.  lit 

Her  dazed  look  showed  that  she  could  Dot  comprehend 
tiris  all  at  once. 

"As  Ralph  did,"  he  explained,  huskily.  **You  ac« 
cepted  him  ;  you  can  accept  me.  I  have  some  moncv 
— a  little  over  $100,000.  I  will  place  it  at  your  disposal, 
for  the  benefit  of  these  people — whom  I  have  helped — to 
wrong." 

His  voice  had  sunk  very  low  again,  but  in  the  silence 
of  the  room  she  caught  every  syllable.  What  he  told  her 
made  her  nearly  as  distressed  as  himself  and,  woman- 
like, the  tears  rushed  to  her  eyes. 

"  I  cannot  afifect  blindness  to  the  reasons  that  actuate 
you,  Mr.  Westland,"  she  said,  with  deep  feeling.  "You 
make  this  offer  from  personal  regard  and,  that  being  the 
case,  I  cannot  accept  it." 

"I  told  you,"  he  made  haste  to  reply,  " that  I  asked 
for  nothing.  I  expect  nothing.  I  know — better  than 
any  words  of  yours  can  tell  me — how  hopeless  it  would 
be  to  think  again  of  that  great  reward  of  which  in  an 
insane  hour  I  once  found  myself  dreaming.  But  I  have 
fully  determined  to  give  up  the  position  I  hold  at  the 
Agency.  I  wish  to  take  the  side  you  have  taken.  Your 
people  are  very  poor.  Their  chance  for  work  here  is 
rapidly  passing  away.  The  aid  I  offer  you  may  prevent 
much  suffering.  You  should  think  well  beiore  you  refuse 
it." 

Ellen  hesitated.  She,  who  was  used  to  quick  decisions, 
found  herself  face  to  face  with  the  greatest  quandary  of 
her  career. 

"  As  I  have  already  said,  I  will  advise  my  people  to 
return  to  their  houses,  but  the  rest  I  must  ask  leave  to 
consider  until  to-morrow.  Let  me  say,  however,  that  I 
thank  you  from  my  heart  for  what  you  are  doing.  I 
never  doubted  that  Philip  Westland,  dissociated  froor 


fl4  SPEAKING    OP   ELLEN. 

the  Agency  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation,  would 
prove  his  noble  nature.  You  and  I  have  been  friends 
through  it  all,  and  never  more,  I  believe,  than  at  this  mo- 
ment.    God  bless  you  !" 

She  virithdrew.  her  face  radiant  with  new  hope  for  the 
cause  in  which  her  life  was  bound  up,  and  Westland 
wrote  a  notice,  which  he  caused  to  be  posted  conspicu- 
ously, permitting  all  evicted  corporation  tenants  to  take 
possession  of  their  former  tenements  immediately. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  as  Mr.  Ezra  Baker  was  walking 
through  the  village,  he  was  surprised  to  see  that  loads  of 
goods  were  being  carried  into  the  deserted  houses.  He 
had  been  on  a  ride  into  the  country,  and  had  heard  noth 
ing  of  the  new  order.  Going  into  the  first  house  he 
came  to,  he  demanded  of  the  tenant  in  what  manner  he 
had  again  obtained  possession.  On  being  informed  of 
the  condition  of  affairs  he  became  much  enraged.  Learn- 
ing that  Westland  was  in  one  of  the  tenements — the  one 
occupied  by  Ellen — he  ascended  the  stairs,  and  stepped 
without  ceremony  into  the  room. 

He  stalked  up  to  the  occupants  in  a  threatening  manner. 

"I  was  right,  it  seems,"  he  said,  between  his  teeth. 
**You  have  come  out  openly  on  the  side  of  the  strikers. 
I  shall  telegraph  to  every  director  to-night,  and  you  will 
be  removed  as  soon  as  they  can  be  got  together." 

Westland  was  weakened  by  the  sleepless  nights  and 
exhausting  days  of  the  past  week.  But  he  forgot  every- 
thing before  the  indignity  of  that  man's  unrequested 
presence  in  Ellen's  room,  and  sprang  up  to  confront  him. 

"  Do  not  forget,"  he  thundered,  "that  I  am  still  agent 
of  the  corporation,  clothed  with  full  powers.  You  can 
neither  insult  me  nor  my  friends  on  these  premises.  If 
you  do  not  leave  at  once,  I  will  throw  you  down  the 
stairs'" 


A   STBONO    LIGHT   GOSS   OUT.  215 

fcaker  took  the  advice  given,  but  continued  to  use  his 
tongue  as  long  as  he  was  within  hearing. 

"  You  have  but  two  davs  more  to  betray  us  !"  he 
shouted.  "  We  will  have  j'^ou  out  by  that  time.  As  for 
this  woman — " 

Westland  was  about  to  throw  himself  upon  the  retreat- 
ing form  when  he  felt  a  touch  of  magic  power  and 
paused. 

'*  Those  who  would  be  my  followers  must  learn  to 
bear  and  forbear,"  said  Ellen,  cheerfully.  "  Let  him  go. 
It  is  beneath  you  to  lay  a  finger  on  him." 

He  accepted  the  hand  she  held  out  to  him,  and  pressed 
it  reverently  to  his  lips.  As  they  stood  there  he  suddenly 
took  her  by  the  shoulders  and  drew  her  toward  him. 
He  could  not  have  anticipated  the  entire  absence  of  re- 
sistance that  brought  her  lips  close  to  his.  Frightened 
at  his  own  temerity,  he  released  her  and  hastily  left  the 
house. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


A  STRONG    LIGHT  GOES  OUT. 


When  Westland  reached  the  Agency  that  evening,  he 
found  awaiting  him  a  telegram  summoning  him  to  New 
York  with  all  possible  haste.  He  had  just  time  to  catch 
the  late  train,  and  it  was  nearly  midnight  when  he  reached 
the  city.  At  that  unusual  hour  he  proceeded  directly  to 
his  office,  where  he  found  his  head  clerk,  with  whom  he 
had  a  hasty  conference.  When  he  came  out,  the  hack- 
man  heard  the  clerk  say,  "  He  may  live  till  morning,  but 
the  doctors  say  that  will  be  the  longest  possible  limit." 


£16  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

Westland  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  building  for  severa\ 
minutes  after  that,  talking  in  a  low  tone  with  his  assis- 
tant. Then  he  returned  to  the  carriage,  said  "  Fifth  Av- 
enue Hotel  "  to  the  driver,  and  was  driven  off. 

At  the  Fifth  Avenue  he  dismissed  the  carriage,  and 
going  directly  to  the  elevator  asked  to  be  taken  to  a  cer- 
tain room,  which  he  designated  by  its  number.  A  mo- 
ment later  he  knocked  at  the  door  and  was  admitted. 

Dr.  Odiin,  perhaps  the  most  famous  surgeon  in  the 
metropolis  at  that  time,  came  forward  to  greet  his  visitor, 
speaking  in  that  hushed  voice  that  denotes  severe  illness 
in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

"  Colonel  Eastman  is  anxiously  awaiting  you,  but  before 
you  go  into  the  room  where  he  lies  let  me  fully  explain 
the  situation.  This  morning,  while  hunting  on  Long 
Island,  he  received  an  accidental  gunshot  wound  from  the 
weapon  that  he  carried.  Though  the  greater  part  of  his 
left  arm  was  torn  away,  the  injury  might  not  have  been 
fatal  had  surgical  assistance  been  near  at  hand  ;  but  be- 
fore aid  could  be  obtained,  except  such  as  his  unprofes- 
sional companions  could  render,  he  had  lost  so  much 
blood  that  recovery  was  hopeless.  When  the  first  physi- 
cian who  arrived  told  him  his  condition — in  answer  to 
his  direct  question — he  insisted  on  bemg  brought  with- 
out delay  to  this  hotel.  I  reached  here  but  a  few  min- 
utes after  his  arrival,  and  upon  making  an  examination 
was  forced  to  agree  with  my  professional  brother. 
)*How  long  can  you  keep  life  in  me?'  he  asked,  with  the 
utmost  coolness.  *  Possibly  twenty  hours  ;  probably  not 
over  fifteen,'  I  answered.  Then  he  asked  to  have  a  mes- 
senger dispatched  to  your  office.  When  the  answer  came 
that  you  were  at  Riverfall,  he  sent  for  your  chief  assis- 
tant and  after  consultation  with  him  the  telegram  was 
ssat  to  you.     I  t&U  you  candidly  that  he  cannot  survive 


A   STltONG   LIGHT   G0E9   OUT.  217 

till  daylight.  His  mind  is  clear,  however,  and  he  is  at 
present  perfectly  competent  to  transact  any  business  that 
he  desires.* 

In  the  room  to  which  Westland  was  conducted,  a  strik- 
ingly  handsome  man  of  about  forty-five  years  lay 
in  a  bed  propped  up  by  pillows.  The  extraordinary 
paleness  caused  by  excessive  loss  of  the  vital  fluid  only 
made  more  striking  a  face  that  would  have  attracted  at- 
tention anywhere.  The  eyes  were  very  dark  and  fiery. 
The  hair  and  long  moustache  were  streaked  with  prema- 
ture gray,  which  carried  no  impression  of  age.  The 
wounded  man  grasped  Westland's  hand  in  a  manner 
which  seemed  quite  at  variance  with  the  physician's  pre- 
diction. It  was  incredible  that  within  five  hours  this  soul 
would  be  asleep. 

"  Colonel  Eastman,  I  am  truly  grieved  to  see  you  thus." 

It  was  the  ordinary  form  of  expression,  but  it  brought 
a  smile  into  the  face  of  the  dying  man. 

"  I  have  a  little  business  which  I  wish  you  would  help 
me  transact,"  he  said,  "and  with  your  permission  we  will 
attend  to  that  first.  Then  if  there  be  time  left — which  the 
surgeon  thinks  is  doubtful — I  will  cheerfully  listen  to 
your  commiserations.  Warden  (to  an  attendant),  I  think 
we  can  spare  you  for  a  few  minutes." 

When  the  man  had  left  the  room.  Colonel  Eastman 
continued  : 

"  I  rely  implicitly,  my  dear  Westland,  on  the  judgment 
of  Dr.  Odlin,  who  guarantees  me  at  least  three  hours  of 
consciousness,  and  I  may  be  a  trifle  tiresome.  But  if 
you  have  ever  died,  or  come  as  near  to  it  as  I  am,  you 
may  agree  that  allowances  can  well  be  made  in  such 
cases,  as  nature  will  certainly  put  a  limit  on  volubility. 
I  regard  it  as  settled  that  I  cannot  see  another  sunrise. 
Now,  I  have  considerable  property,  and,  as  tkc  laws  stand. 


S16  SPEAKING   OF    ELLBW.  / 

I  have  a  right  to  dispose  of  it  as  long  as  there  isbre»kW.i 
in  me.  Like  many  another  man  I  have  heretofore  given 
that  subject  little  thought.  I  felt  myself  in  perfect 
health,  and  presumed  that  I  should  see  my  three-score 
and  ten,  as  my  father  and  grandfather  did  before  me. 
The  little  accident  of  this  morning — or,  perhaps^  it  would 
be,  by  this  time,  more  correct  to  say  of  yesterday — has 
upset  my  plans,  and  if  I  am  to  make  a  will  you  will 
readily  see  that  I  must  attend  to  it  without  much  more 
delay. 

"I  suppose  the  value,  as  such  things  are  reckoned,  of 
what  is  credited  here  and  there  in  my  name,  is  about 
three  million  dollars.  I  inherited  the  basis  of  it,  and  the 
natural  increment  has  increased  the  pile  considerably.  I 
married  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  ago,  and  there  was  a  child 
— a  boy — but  his  mother  and  he  died  together.  I  have 
no  near  relations.  But  there  is  a  case  where  my  con- 
science gives  me  a  twinge  (you'll  understand  such  things 
better,  my  dear  fellow,  if  you  ever  get  where  I  am,  with 
your  time  limited  by  the  edict  of  a  rascally  surgeon),  and 
I  want  to  do  what  I  can  to  set  it  right. 

"  Twenty-two  years  ago  or  thereabouts  (don't  interrupt 
me,  now  ;  you  can  talk,  perhaps,  for  the  next  forty  years, 
and  I  must  do  all  mine  to-night,)  I  was  a  young, 
thoughtless  scamp.  No  worse  than  plenty  of  other 
young  men,  very  likely,  but  bad  enough.  I  had  been 
elected  to  a  seat  in  the  Legislature  of  my  State,  and  my 
good  old  father's  heart  was  set  on  seeing  me  make  a 
figure  in  politics.  In  an  evil  hour  he  sent  me  down  to  a 
manufacturing  village,  to  vote  at  a  meeting  of  stockhold- 
ers, where  he  had  large  interests,  which,  as  you  know,  I 
now  possess.  I  did  the  business  all  right — we  carried 
our  point,  I  remember,  but  it  was  a  hard  fight — and  it  was 
»o  late  when  we  got  through  that  I  had  to  stay  in  River- 


A    BTRONO    LIGHT   GOES   OCT.  Sl.# 

fall  all  n%ht.  As  I  walked  to  my  hotel,  I  encountered 
in  the  street  a  young  girl,  with  whose  beauty  I  was  at 
once  enraptured.  She  was  the  most  inn^c  "it  child  I  ever 
saw — she  had  been  here  but  a  few  weeks  from  England^ 
What  the  deuce  is  the  matter  witn  /  u    " 

The  last  remark  was  -  i.  cu  by  Mi  exclamation  that 
had  been  suddenly  forced  .  •  m  the  mill-agent.  He  was 
laboring  under  an  excitement  that  it  was  impossible  to 
control ;  for  he  knew,  as  well  as  he  could  know  anything, 
that  it  was  Ellen's  father  who  was  speaking  to  him. 

"Goon,  sir,"  he  said,  in  a  husky  voice.  "When  you 
have  finished,  I  will  explain,  if  you  desire." 

"  Perhaps  you  knew  the  girl,"  said  Colonel  Eastman. 
"  Her  name  was  Margaret  Perry." 

"  No,  I  never  saw  her,"  said  Westland,  regaining  his 
composure,      "  Proceed,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  Well,  it  was  the  old  story.  I  did  not  leave  Riverfall 
that  day  nor  the  next.  The  pretty  English  weaver  had 
possession  of  what  I  then  imagined  ,was  my  heart.  She 
lovei  me  from  the  tirst,  and  I  found  her  too  enticing  to 
desert  until  the  mischief  was  done.  One  day  I  received 
a  letter  from  my  father,  saying  that  an  important  measure 
in  the  House  needed  my  vote,  and  I  tore  myself  away.  I 
fully  intended  to  go  back,  but  one  thing  after  another 
kept  me  from  doing  so.  Finally  Margaret  wrote,  telling 
me  of  her  condition,  and  begging  me  to  keep  my  promise 
to  many  her.  I  could  not  do  that.  It  would  have  ruined 
me  in  politics,  and  beside,  I  really  believe  my  father 
would  have  cut  me  off  without  a  shilling.  I  did  what 
cowards  always  do — sent  her  some  money  and  tried  to 
forget  her.  I  feared  if  I  went  to  see  her,  he'  pleadings 
•vould  shake  my  resolutions.  Don't  look  at  n>e  l;ke  that, 
Westland.  When  a  man  is  dying  he  nee<i»i  *  ^""^^i 
\enieacy'" 


320  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEK. 

Thus  reminded  of  the  harshness  of  his  gaze,  which  the 

colonel's  latest  statements  had  impelled,  Westland 
relaxed  his  features  and  tried  to  listen  with  outward 
calmness. 

"  It  was  a  contemptible  thing  to  do,"  pursued  the  colo- 
nel. "  Damn  it,  I  hope  you  don't  think  we  differ  on  that 
point !  I  am  only  giving  you  the  facts,  as  a  preliminary 
to  the  business  that  made  me  call  you  here.  I  have  had 
my  lawyer — Mr.  Wetmore — draw  up  a  will  leaving  all 
my  property  to  this  Margaret  Perry  and  her  child,  if 
either  or  both  are  living.  If  they  are  not,  then  the  es- 
tate is  to  go  to  certaia^pecified  charities.  Of  that  will  I 
have  made  you  sole  executor  and  trustee.  If  you  will 
touch  the  bell,  I  will  send  for  the  document,  that  you 
may  say  whether  you  are  willing  to  accept  the  trust." 

Westland  touched  the  bell  mechanically.  When  Mr. 
Wetmore  entered,  Dr.  Odlin  accompanied  him  and  made 
a  slight  examination  of  his  patient. 

"  How  long  now,  doctor  !"  asked  Colonel  Eastman. 

"  Not  very,"  responded  the  surgeon.  "  You  are  liable 
to  a  sudden  lapse  at  any  time." 

"Thank  you,"  he  replied.     " Now,  Mr.  Wetmore.** 

The  lawyer  read  aloud  the  will,  which  was  a  short  one. 
It  bequeathed  all  the  earthly  goods,  chattels  and  estates 
of  Edwin  Eastman  to  Philip  Westland,  Esq.,  as  trustee, 
for  the  joint  benefit  of  Margaret  Perry,  of  Riverfall,  and 
her  eldest  child,  if  living,  the  management  of  the  prop* 
erty  and  its  disposition  under  the  trust  to  be  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  trustee  in  all  respects.  Then  followed  a 
list  of  alternate  legatees.  The  document  was  complete 
except  the  signatures. 

**  You  will  accept  it?"  said  the  colonel,  interrogatively 
**  The  fees  will  be  handsome,"  he  added,  as  Westland  he>i« 


A   STBOKO    LIGHT   OOBS    OTTT.  23l 

tated.  Or,  !f  you  have  anything  to  say  to  me  in  privat* 
on  the  subject,  they  wil/  leave  us  again," 

Westfield  bowed  assent  to  the  last  proposition,  and  the 
door  closed  behind  the  legal  and  surgical  lights. 

"If  I  am  agitated,"  said  the  mill-agent,  when  he  and 
the  colonel  were  alone,  "I  can  soon  explain  to  you  my 
reason.  This  will  has  a  remarkable  significance  to  me. 
Margaret  Perry  has  been  dead  these  eight  years.  Yes,  I 
have  seen  he--  grave  in  the  Riverfall  cemetery.  Bui  she 
left  a  daughter,  whose  father  the  people  have  always  said 
was  a  gentleman  of  wealth,  high  in  the  political  world. 
This  daughter,  whose  name  is  Ellen,  has  been,  like  her 
mother,  a  weaver  in  one  of  the  Great  Central  mills.  She 
is  a  girl  of  the  rarest  natural  endowments,  and  I  can 
easily  trace  a  family  resemblance  in  your  own  face,  now 
that  the  relationship  is  brought  to  my  attention.  Yej. 
colonel,  the  greatest  loss  you  will  sustain  in  leaving  life 
in  this  untimely  manner  is  in  being  deprived  of  the  sight 
of  the  pure  and  noble  countenance  of  a  daughter  of 
whom  a  king  might  feel  proud.  Though  prevented  by 
her  poverty  from  receiving  the  higher  forms  of  education, 
the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  her  spirit  make  her  worthy 
of  any  society.  She  is  a  leader  among  the  strikers,  who 
have  rebelled  against  our  recent  attempted  cut-down  of 
wages.  Living  in  the  plainest  manner,  with  no  aids  but 
her  innate  charm,  she  is  the  most  loved  and  respected  of 
their  numoer.  The  tidings  you  have  confided  to  me 
carry  with  them  great  cause  for  sadness  on  my  part  for, 
despite  the  difference  in  our  social  rank,  I  have  loved 
Ellen  almost  ever  since  I  have  known  her.  As  a  poov 
orphan  girl  I  might  in  time  have  won  her,  though  thus  fai 
she  has  given  me  little  encouragement.  As  the  heiress 
of  millions  she  will  be  lost  t»  me  forever '" 

Colonel  Eastman  was  visibly  affected. 


SPEAKING   OF    ELLKH. 

"You  love  my  daughter  ?      You?    And   you  wish  t« 

marry  her  ?" 

"Yes,  Colonel  Eastman.  After  living  more  than  thirty 
years,  during  which  I  never  met  a  woman  who  could 
excite  in  me  warmer  feelings  than  those  of  friendship 
Ellen  won  my  heart  at  the  first  glance." 

"Tell  me  what  she  is  like,"  said  the  colonel,  musingly 
"Lovers  are  not  impartial  judges  of  beauty." 

Westfield  tried  to  describe  his  idol,  but  found  the  task 
a  difficult  one.  His  own  enchantment  was,  however, 
made  more  evident  than  ever,  and  this  was  what  his  ques- 
tioner was  most  anxious  to  prove. 

"Say  you  will  accept  the  trusteeship,"  he  said,  after  a 
pause.  "  Time  is  pressing.  There  is  no  other  man  tc 
whom  I  could  leave  it  with  such  complete  confidence." 

*'  I  will  do  it,"  replied  Westland. 

Lawyer  Wetmore  was  then  sent  for,  and  the  will  entirely 
rewritten.  The  estate  was  left  to  Philip  Westland,  Esq., 
in  trust  for  Ellen,  daughter  of  Margaret  Perry  and  Edwin 
Eastman,  the  trustee  to  have  absolute  power  to  control 
the  principal  as  he  saw  fit.  This  will  was  signed  in  the 
presence  of  the  necessary  number  of  witnesses,  who  were 
called  in  for  the  purpose.  Then  Colonel  Eastm.'^n  asked 
all  to  leave  the  room  except  the  lawyer,  whom  he 
requested  to  write  as  follows,  from  his  dictation  : 

Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York,  Oct.  29,  18 — 
My  Dear  Daughter  Ellen  : 

With  but  a  few  hours  to  live,  the  cause  for  which  others 
will  explain  to  you,  I  ask  your  forgiveness,  and  leave  you 
my  blessing.  As  a  late  reparation  for  my  long  ntglcct — ■ 
a  neglect  that  gives  me  the  only  pang  at  leaving  earth — I 
have  left  you  all  my  property,  in  trust  with  Mr.  Westland. 
His  father  was  for  years  my  intimate  friend.  I  also 
esteem  and  honor  the  son,  who  tells  me,  as  things  arc 
told  to  dying  men,  that  he  loves  you.     Dear  Ellen,  if  the 


•  AJro   SHE   WD   NOT   KES"U6^  228 

time  comes  when  )^ou  can  confide  your  life  to  him,  I  am 
sure  he  will  never  abuse  the  great  blessing.  My  strength 
is  failing  and  I  can  say  no  more.  Your  Father, 

Edwin  Eastman. 

The  weak  fingers  could  only  scrawl  the  name,  and,  per- 
ceiving how  rapidly  the  colonel  was  sinking,  Mr.  Wet- 
more  made  haste  to  summon  Dr.  Odlin.  The  change  was 
indeed  coming  fast.  The  ^rength  had  departed  from 
the  maimed  form,  but  intelligence  lingered  some  moments 
longer.  His  speech  failed,  but  they  saw  that  he  wanted 
Westland  to  come  to  the  bedside,  and  the  wish  was  at 
once  complied  with.  As  their  hands  were  clasped 
together  a  pleased  smile  irradiated  the  transparent  white- 
ness of  the  colonel's  face.  Then  the  eyes  closed,  and 
they  thought  consciousness  had  fled,  but  they  were  mis- 
taken. A  minute  later  he  roused  himself,  looked  about 
the  room,  as  if  to  call  on  all  present  to  bear  him  witness, 
and  said,  slowly  and  distinctly  : 

"  I  have  asked  my  daughter  to  marry  Mr.  Westland." 
It  was  the  last  flicker  of  a  strong  light.     Colonel  East- 
man was  dead. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"  AND   SHE   DID   NOT   REFUSE.' 

Back  to  Riverfall  on  the  next  afternoon  train  came 
Philip  Westland.  He  had  arranged  for  a  quiet  funeral, 
according  to  the  expressed  wish  of  the  dead  man,  at  the 
rooms  in  the  Fifth  Avenue,  where  he  had  breathed  his 
last.  The  undertaker  who  was  called  in  was  to  see  to 
all  the  arrangements.  It  is  almost  a3  easy  to  bury  a 
Kiillionairc  as  a  pauper,  if  one  sets  about  it  right. 


824  SPEAKING    OF   ELLBK. 

Westland  went  at  once  to  the  Agency,  where  he  found 
Edna  in  a  state  of  some  nervousness.  The  president  of 
the  Great  Central  Corporation,  Mr.  Erastus  Stebbins, 
had  been  there,  and  waited  for  him  several  hours.  From 
what  the  blind  girl  overheard,  and  what  the  servants 
whispered  to  her,  the  president  had  given  everybody  to 
understand  that  the  agent  was  under  his  severe  displeas- 
ure. As  they  were  talking,  the  bell  rang,  and  word  was 
brought  that  the  individual  of  whom  they  were  speaking 
waited  in  the  parlor. 

Erastus  Stebbins  was  a  large  man  of  important  mien 
and  heavy  voice.  He  had  come  to  Riverfall  in  response 
to  a  telegram  from  Mr.  Baker,  and  had  worked  himself 
into  considerable  excitement  when  he  learned  all  that 
that  worthy  had  to  communicate.  It  was  his  intention 
to  say  s  number  of  very  cutting  and  disagreeable  things 
as  soon  as  he  should  see  the  agent ;  but  when  Westland 
walked  into  the  parlor  and  extended  his  hand  as  if  noth- 
ing was  the  matter,  Mr.  Stebbins  took  it,  and  tried  to 
assume  an  expression  of  welcome. 

"  I  will  be  perfectly  candid  with  you.  President  Steb- 
bins," said  Westland,  "and  not  pretend  to  any  surprise 
at  this  visit.  You  are  in  Riverfall  on  account  of  infor- 
mation sent  to  you  by  someone,  that  I  have  allowed  the 
gvicted  families'to  re-enter  the  corporation  houses." 

President  Stebbins  looked  relieved,  and  intimated  that 
>he  conjecture  was  a  correct  one. 

"  To  be  brief,  then,"  continued  the  agent,  **  I  could  no 
longer  endure  the  sight  of  these  people — most  of  them 
ignorant,  and  all  of  them  poor — exposed  to  the  rigors  ol 
a  late  New  England  autumn.  I  had  tested  pretty 
severely  their  determination  to  hold  out  against  our 
reduced  scale.  To  have  gone  further  than  I  did,  with  th« 
frosty  nights  that  arc  upon  us,  would  have  been  villain^ 


*  AND   8HK  DID   NOT  EEFUSB." 

ous.  My  resignation  is  at  your  disposal.  If  such  meas- 
ures as  those  which  we  have  begun  are  to  be  continued 
dt  such  a  season,  they  must  be  carried  out  by  someone 
beside  me." 

Mr.  Stebbins  said  he  would  be  glad  if  the  resignation 
of  the  agent  could  be  put  at  once  into  his  hands,  so  that 
he  could  call  a  meeting  of  the  directors  at  the  earliest 
possible  date.  It  seemed  to  him  that  the  situation  was 
becoming  very  grave.  He  (Mr.  Stebbins)  believed  him- 
self an  honest  man  and  (he  hoped)  a  Christian.  But  he 
did  not  think  it  his  duty  to  sacrifice  a  property  like  that 
of  the  Great  Central  mills  on  merely  sentimental 
grounds.  This  and  much  more  said  President  Stebbins. 
And  when  he  left  the  Agency  he  was  promised  the 
agent's  resignation  at  the  earliest  meeting  of  the  direc- 
tors he  could  secure. 

Twenty  minutes  after  the  president  left  the  house,  and 
as  Westland  was  telling  Edna  what  particulars  he 
thought  it  wise  to  impart  of  the  death  of  Colonel  East- 
man, two  other  visitors  were  announced — no  less  person- 
ages than  Colonel  Caswell  and  the  State's  adjutant- 
general.  Their  object  was  to  ascertain  whether  the  mill 
corporation  had  any  opinion  regarding  the  necessity  or 
lack  of  necessity  of  a  longer  stay  ia  Riverfall  of  the 
militia. 

"  I  cannot  in  fairness  speak  for  the  corporation,"  re- 
plied Westland,  "  as  I  am  about  to  resign  my  position 
within  a  few  days.  When  Colonel  Caswell  first  reached 
here  with  his  men  I  told  him  I  did  not  know  of  any  rea- 
son why  they  were  sent  here.  That  statement — as  a 
private  resident,  and  not  as  a  mill-agent — I  now  repeat. 
I  think  there  has  been  no  severe  outbreak  for  you  to 
quell,"  he  said,  speaking  to  the  colonel. 

"  None,"  was  the  reply.     "  The  cor  duct  of  the  people 


3M  tnuKnro  of  vllwh 

has  been  admirable.  I  doubt  if  so  many  unemployed 
persons  were  ever  so  orderly,  under  such  circumstances. 
They  are  under  a  restraint  far  more  powerful  than  my 
bayonets — the  magic  influence  of  a  woman  whom  they 
adore." 

"  A  wonderful  woman,  if  all  they  say  of  her  is  true," 
put  in  the  adjutant-general.  "Well,  if  you  see  no  reason 
for  needing  our  troops,  I  think  we  will  send  them  home 
to-night.  The  town  officials  ask  that  a  small  guard  be 
left  for  their  own  residences,  but  it  seems  to  me  they  are 
unduly  alarmed.  Colonel,  you  may  order  your  tents 
struck  at  once.' 

Westland  reminded  him  again  that  he  had  not  pre^ 
tended  to  express  the  opinion  of  the  mill-directors,  bul 
the  adjutant-general  said  he  would  take  the  responsi- 
bility for  that.  The  directors  as  such  had  never  asked 
for  protection,  and  it  would  be  time  enough  to  considei 
that  matter  when  they  did  so,  "There  is  absolutely  no 
farther  use  for  our  men  here,"  he  said. 

"  The  principal  thing  they  have  done,"  said  Westland. 
smiling,  "has  been  to  afford  shelter  in  their  tents  to 
some  of  the  women  and  children.  Now  that  the  people 
are  again  in  their  houses  they,  at  least,  can  spare  you 
better  than  they  could  a  week  ago." 

Colonel  Caswell  looked  disturbed. 

"I  am  sorry  my  act  did  not  please  you,  sir,"  said  he, 
"  but  I  believed  it  my  duty  as  a  man  and  a  soldier.  II 
you  could  have  seen  Ellen's  face  when  she  thanked  me — " 

But  Westland  interposed. 

"  It  does  not  displease  me.  Colonel.  On  the  contrary^ 
I  honor  you  for  it.  While  I  was  trying  to  do  my  duty 
to  a  corporation,  you  made  the  force  less  severe  to  the 
innocent.  It  was  a  noble  action,  and  I  shall  remember  ii 
as  long  as  i  live. " 


'*  AND   SHK    DID    WOT    RRFCTSB."  287 

It  must  have  been  a  mistake  ;  but  Colonel  Caswell 
thought  there  was  a  glistening  drop  in  the  eye  of  the 
mill-agent.  And  who  ever  heard  such  a  thing  .>f  a  mill- 
agent,  even  after  his  resignation  was  determined  upon  ? 
Westland  had  many  things  to  do  that  day.  He 
engaged  rooms  at  the  Rivcrfall  House,  and  set  the 
Agency  servants  to  packing  his  things  for  remova'.  He 
sent  many  messages,  and  received  the  callers  who 
responded  thereto.  At  dusk  he  went  down  into  the  vil- 
lage where,  at  sight  of  him,  a  group  of  the  strikers  set 
up  a  cheer.  He  bowed  politely  to  them,  but  it  did  not 
please  him,  and  he  hurried  on  As  he  crossed  the  Com- 
mon, where  the  last  of  the  camp  equipage  v/as  being 
packed  preparatory  to  depart  ip-.,  he  saw  Mr.  Baker  in 
an  angry  dispute  with  ono  of  tliC  militia  captains.  He 
did  not  hear  what  the  ex-agent  said,  but  the  reply  of  the 
officer  came  to  him  very  clear  and  distinct. 

"If  you  do  not  leave  here  immediately,  I  will  put  you 
under  arrest.  I  have  warned  you  twice,  and  thii  is  pos- 
itively the  last  time." 

Baker  turned  away  and  came  toward  Westland.  As 
he  saw  him,  his  hands  were  clenched,  and  he  lashed  him- 
self into  a  sort  of  fury. 

"Three  days  more  !"  he  hissed,  as  he  passed  him. 
"Then  I  will  have  you  turned  out  like  a  dog  !" 

If  he  had  looked  at  the  face  of  the  man  he  insulted  he 
would  have  seen  that  it  was  perfectly  unmored.  There 
were  deeper  questions  in  Wcstlana's  mind  at  that  mo- 
ment than  how  to  resent  the  sple.jn  of  a  disappointed 
stocKholder.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Ellen's,  and  the 
ordeal  before  him  seemed  greater  han  any  other  of  his 
life. 

She  opene*!  the  door  to  rec«tT«  him,  with  the  old  smile 
of  welcome      The  experiences  of  the  c>ast  week — the  rev- 


228  SPEAKING   OF    BLLSV. 

elations  of  his  love  and  her  own — had  left  their  traces  on 
the  beautiful  face,  but  the  smile  was  still  there.  Her 
expression  was  indeed  more  saintly  ;  her  eyes  were  filled 
with  a  diviner  longing  ;  but  the  smile,  unchanged  from 
the  old  days,  brought  her  back  to  earth. 

She  offered  him  a  chair  in  her  usual  manner,  which 
was  as  far  from  being  prudish  as  it  was  from  forward- 
ness. He  took  it,  and  for  a  minute  he  sat  there  regard- 
ing her  with  strange  emotions. 

"  Ellen,"  he  said,  ?.t  last,  "  I  have  a  very  sorrowful 
story  to  tell  you." 

The  smile  faded  sway  before  the  apprehension  created 
by  these  words.  C^he  knew  not  what  to  dread,  but  she 
trembled  visibly.  Many  wiJd  suggestions  surged  across 
her  brain,  but  rothing  like  the  truth.  She  swayed  a 
little  in  her  cba>r,  and  he  bade  her  compose  herself. 

"Ellen,"  he  went  on — it  seemed  so  sweet  to  him,  that 
name  that  everybody  else  used  so  freely ! — "  there  is 
great  need  that  one  v/hom  you  love  should  take  you  in 
his  arms  '.o-night,  and  tell  you  that  a  great  loss  has 
befallen  vju.  You  are  strong  to  bear  ill  tidings,but  there 
is  a  limit  to  what  any  of  us  can  endure.  Is  there  not 
someone  I  can  call  whose  touch  would  enable  you  the 
better  to  bear  great  pain  ?" 

She  jho  k  her  head.  She  was  becoming  frightened 
She  could  -O^  tai.e  her  eyes  from  him. 

"  There  is  one  already  here  who  loves  you  beyond  all 
power  to  express — do  not  speak,  it  is  needless ;  but  he 
cannot  shield  you  from  the  blow  that  is  about  to  fall — 
that,  in  fact,  has  fallen.  Instead  of  aiding  him  to  acquire 
that  right,  it  surrounds  you  with  circumstances  which 
make  his  case,  if  possible,  more  hopeless  than  ever.  Are 
you  strong  enough  to  listen  ?" 

She   tried  to  speak,  but  the  words  would  not  com« 


•*  AlTD   SHE    DID   HOT    REFUSE.*  821 

She  felt  a  nameless  dread  at  the  mystery  into  which  he 

was  about  to  conduct  her,  and  yet  she  could  not  resist 
the  desire  to  know  all.  She  bowed  a  sufficient  affirma- 
tive to  his  question,  and  he  proceeded  : 

"There  was  once  a  young  and  lovely  English  girl,  who 
came  to  America  and  found  work  in  a  mill-town  called 
Riverfall.     Her  name  was  Margaret  Perry." 

He  paused,  for  Ellen's  eyes  had  overflowed,  and  from 
between  the  fingers  on  which  her  face  rested  the  drops 
fell  fast, 

*  Young,  beautiful  and  innocent,"  he  continued,  as 
soon  as  he  was  able,  "she  was  without  relation  or  near 
friend  in  a  strange  land.  One  day  the  handsome  son  of 
a  rich  family — " 

She  put  out  a  hand  to  stop  him,  for  the  ground  Ofc 
which  he  was  trenching  was  sacred  to  her.  The  subject 
had  never  been  broached,  in  her  hearing,  by  man  or 
woman,  since  her  mother  died.  She  knew  the  history  of 
her  birth,  but  she  could  not  bear  that  another  should  re 
peat  it.  He  took  the  hand  that  she  had  held  out  in  pro 
test,  and  he  did  not  let  it  go.  Then  he  moved  closer  to 
her,  and  spoke  in  a  very  low  voice  : 

"This  morning  I  closed  his  eyes." 

She  started  up,  with  an  air  that  was  almost  wild,  and 
bestowed  upon  him  a  look  of  the  utmost  astonishment. 

"You—" 

"  Yes.  That  is  what  I  came  to  tell  you.  Your  father 
died  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  at  five  o'clock." 

He  waited  for  the  shock  that  he  expected,  but  it  did 
not  come.  The  girl  slowly  took  a  handkerchief  from  her 
pocket,  carefully  wiped  away  every  tear  from  her  face, 
and  leaned  toward  him  with  an  expression  that  clearly 
indicated  relief. 


990  SrKAJUMG    OV   ELLEM. 

"Is  that  the  worst  news  you  have  brought?**  shf 
asked,  with  a  voice  that  surprised  him  by  its  firmness. 

He  felt  a  dizziness  at  the  awful  intimation. 

"  A  father's  death  !  Could  anything  be  worse  than 
that  ?" 

She  took  a  long  breath,  sat  upright  in  her  chair,  and 
nonchalantly  arranged  her  dress.  A  coil  of  hair  had 
iallen,  and  she  put  it  back  in  its  place  with  deliberation. 
Then  she  said,  quietly  : 

"You  did  wrong  to  give  me  such  a  fright  for  nothing." 

He  could  not  conceal  the  shock  that  this  gave  him. 
He  had  not  thought  such  words  could  come  from  those 
lips. 

"Explain  yourself,"  he  said,  coldly,  " or  I  shall  think 
the  commissioners  ought  to  put  your  sanity  to  a  test." 

"  I  will !"  she  answered,  leaning  toward  him  again,  and 
looking  squarely  into  his  eyes.  "  You  tell  me  that  a  man 
is  dead — a  man  who  perpetrated  the  greatest  villainy 
conceivable  upon  my  darling  mother ;  who,  though 
possessed  of  ample  wealth,  left  his  daughter  to  bear  the 
burdens  of  the  life  he  had  thrust  upon  her  ;  who  married 
one  woman  to  please  his  parents  and  keep  his  place  in 
society,  when  another  claimed  him  by  all  the  holy  vows 
that  he  could  utter  !  This  man  you  call  my  father,  but 
you  mistake.  I  had  none  !  He  is  dead,  you  say.  Well, 
let  him  die!  I  can  conceive  of  no  better  thing  for  him  to 
do.  I  trust  you  did  not  think  one  of  these  tears  of  mine 
was  shed  for  him  !  They  were  for  the  mother  whose 
young  life  he  cut  short,  and  whose  last  days  he  rendered 
more  bitter  than  thought  can  imagine.  Dead,  is  he  \ 
How  much  better  it  were  for  others  had  he  died  twenty- 
five  years  sooner  !" 

And  this  was  the  girl  he  had  loved — whom  he  had 
worshipped  so  blindly  that  he  was  willing  to  sacriiic* 


**  ATfD   SHE   Vm   HOT   MtfUtB."  2ftl 

fortune,  duty,  honor,  all  for  the  sake  of  her  hand  !  He 
experienced  a  revulsion  of  feeling  that  nearly  over- 
powered him.  He  had  loved  his  own  father  with  an 
intense  devotion,  made  deeper  by  the  early  loss  of  the 
mother  whom  he  did  not  remember.  Lack  of  filial  re- 
spect was  to  him  almost  unpardonable.  He  sat  straighter 
in  his  chair,  and  for  the  first  time  with  her  his  voice 
took  on  an  aspect  of  sternness. 

"The  funeral  of  Colonel  Eastman  will  take  place  day 
after  to-morrow,  in  hir>  late  rooms  at  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel.  The  hour  hcU  b^cn  set  at  two  o'clock.  Only 
three  or  fuur  businesr  associates  have  been  invited.  It 
will  be  your  last  opportunity  to  look  upon  the  features 
of  the  man  to  whom  you  owe  your  being.  May  I  hope 
to  accompany  you  there  ?" 

She  realized  the  great  change  in  his  manner,  and  it  gave 
her  bitter  pain,  but  she  held  out  still. 

"To  see  the  face  of  that  man,  whose  very  name  I  have 
no  right  to  bear,  could  be  of  no  advantage.  I  never  knew 
how  he  looked,  and  I  have  no  wish  to  know." 

"  He  made  a  will  last  night,  after  I  reached  his  bed- 
side," said  Westland,  his  voice  growing  harder.  "  That 
will  leaves  you  all  of  his  property,  valued  at  three  million 
dollars." 

Ellen  looked  surprised,  but  not  gratified. 

"  To  me  ?  "  she  repeated.  "  Nothing  to  the  woman 
who  took  my  mother's  place  ?     Did  he  desert  her,  too  ? " 

"She  died  many  years  ago.  Every  dollar  is  given  to 
you.  His  last  thoughts  were  of  you  ;  with  his  last  breatb 
he  dictated  a  letter  to  you,  and  with  his  last  intelligent 
moment  he  signed  it  with  his  name." 

He  drew  the  missive  from  his  pocket  and  laid  it  on  the 
table.     She  made  no  move  to  touch  it. 

**  I  am  constituted  executor  and  trustee  of  the  estate^' 


232  SPEAKING    OF    MLLWSt. 

he  continued,  as  she  did  not  speak.  **  As  soon  as  I  caa 
file  my  papers  in  court  and  get  the  necessary  permission, 
I  shall  be  glad  to  turn  the  property  over  to  you." 

It  was  difficult  for  her  to  ask  the  question,  but  she 
did  it. 

"  By  what  name  did  Colonel  Eastman  designate  his 
illegitimate  child  ?" 

"  I  will  read  you  the  entire  document,"  he  said,  draw- 
ing it  from  his  pocket.  When  he  reached  the  words, 
"  Ellen,  daughter  of  Margaret  Perry  and  Edwin  East- 
man," she  clutched  both  arms  of  the  chair  she  was 
occupying,  in  a  vain  endeavor  to  subdue  her  emotion. 

"  Do  you  think  for  one  instant,"  she  asked,  "  that  I 
will  take  this  money — coupled  as  it  is  with  an  insult  to 
my  dead  mother's  name  ?  Daughter  of  a  woman  who 
never  was  wedded,  by  a  libertine  who  deceived  her  and 
ruined  her  !  I  am,  and  I  am  proud  to  be,  a  daughter  of 
Margaret  Perry,  the  poor,  unfortunate  mill-girl  ;  but 
the  name  of  Edwin  Eastman  not  even  his  millions  could 
induce  me  to  accept !  " 

He  continued  with  the  same  cold,  hard  inflexion. 

"  When  the  time  comes,  then,  I  shall  ask  you  to  sign 
a  rel«ase  of  your  claims,  that  I  may  divide  the  estate 
among  the  distant  relatives  of  your  father  who  are  its 
heirs-at-law.  His  will  originally  designated  certain  char- 
ities as  residuary  legatees,  but  when  he  made  certain  that 
you  were  living  he  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  add  that 
clause.  I  do  not  think  of  any  other  business  that  I  have 
with  you  at  this  time." 

As  he  rose  to  go,  the  awfulness  of  his  icy  demeanor 
came  with  crushing  force  across  the  girl's  mind.  Foi 
months  he  had  met  her  as  an  attached  friend,  and  unti^ 
now  he  had  seemed  to  grow  nearer  at  each  meeting. 
Yesternight,   at  about   this   hour,  his  lips  had   almost 


**  AKD   SHE   DID   NOT   REFUBB."  98S 

touched  hers,  and  had  met  with  no  resistance.  A  tide  of 
love  nearly  uncontrollable  swept  over  her  as  she  saw  him 
about  to  take  his  leave  in  this  formal  manner. 

"  Business  being  ended— and  such  unpleasant  business 
—let  us  talk  of  other  things,"  she  said.  He  had  never 
seen  any  one  quite  so  pale.  «As  you  have  so  often 
remarked,  our  friendship  may  be  strained,  but  we  must 
not  let  it  break." 

He  resumed  the  chair  he  had  left,  but  his  demeanor 
did  not  alter. 

"  You  are  not  pleased  with  me,"  she  said,  gently. 

"No,'  he  replied,  briefly.  "A  girl  who  will  let  the 
coffin-lid  hide  her  father's  face  without  taking  one  look 
could  please  no  one." 

"The  face  of  a  man,"  she  answered,  "whose  neglect 
put  my  mother's  face  under  a  coffin-lid  is  not  for  her 
daughter  to  see  !  " 

"I  cannot  understand  a  hate  that  will  follow  one  to 
the  grave !  You  have  not  even  read  his  last  words  to 
you," 

She  took  up  the  letter  on  the  table,  held  it  in  her  hand 
for  nearly  a  minute,  and  then  said,  "  I  will  read  it  if  you 
wish  me  to."  He  watched  her  as  she  scanned  the  lines, 
and  was  surprised  to  see  the  whiteness  of  her  cheek  give 
place  to  a  wave  of  color. 

"  Have  you  read  this  ?"  she  asked,  turning  her  crimson 
/ace  upon  him. 

"  I   have  not      I  supposed  it  was  for  your  private 

perusal." 
"  Read  it." 

He  did  so,  and  a  flush  as  bright  as  her  own  came  into 
his  countenance. 

"You  will  believe  me,  Miss— Miss  Ellen— when  I 
assure  you  that  I  was  utterly  unaware  of  the  contents  of 


2^4  BPEAKHfS   OF    ELLEW, 

jhis  note,"  he  stammered.    "  You  could  not  for  a  moment 
think—" 

She  interrupted  him 

"  I  am  sure  you  did  not  know  what  was  in  it,"  she  said; 
*  but  I  thought  you  ought  to  know.  And  did  you  tell 
aim  what  he  says,  in  relation  to  me  ?" 

From  another  woman's  lips  that  question  would  have 
sounded  immodest.  From  Ellen's  it  seemed  as  natural 
as  breathing. 

"  Let  me  set  myself  right,"  said  Westland.  "  Colonel 
Eastman  sent  for  me  in  haste  yesterday  afternoon.  He 
had  received  a  mortal  gunshot  wound,  and  knew  that 
his  hours  were  numbered.  He  had  confidence  in  me  as 
a  business  man,  and  wished  me  to  administer  upon  his 
property.  His  first  thought  was  of  your  mother.  He 
supposed  her  still  living,  and  had  made  a  will  before  my 
arrival,  leaving  his  property  to  her  and  to  her  child, 
should  there  be  one.  Learning  of  her  death  through 
me,  and  also  of  your  existence,  he  had  the  will  drawn 
which  I  have  read  to  you.  In  speaking  of  you  to  your 
father  I  did  tell  him  of  my  love,  and  that  I  feared  the 
vast  amount  of  money  he  was  to  leave  you  would  destroy 
my  last  hope  that  you  would  return  my  affection.  When 
he  dictated  this  letter  I  was  absent  from  the  room.  A 
few  moments  after  he  signed  it  he  became  unsconscious, 
and  never  rallied.  Now,  Ellen,  I  must  be  candid  with 
you.  Last  night  I  would  have  given  worlds  to  call  you 
mine.     But  that  was  twenty  hours  ago  !" 

She  shrank  under  the  blow,  which  was  harder  than  he 
could  have  imagined.  At  that  moment,  to  the  relief  of 
both,  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door.  It  was  Hugh  May- 
field. 

"  Mr.   WesUand  has   brought  strange  news,    Hugh,' 


"  AlfD   SHE   DID   WOT   BEFCSB,"  li35 

said  Ellen,  when  the  ordinary  greetings  were  ex- 
changed. 

Then,  with  the  confidence  of  long  use,  she  told  him  all 
about  it. 

"And  you  seriously  propose  to  refuse  this  legacy?'* 
asked  Hugh,  as  she  finished, 

"  Assuredly." 

"But  you  must  not." 

"Must  not!     Why?" 

"  I  am  surprised  that  you  can  ask."  he  said.  "Yon  are 
ofierea  the  privilege  of  becoming  the  trustee  ol  gieat 
wealth  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor.  With  it  you  can  re- 
lieve every  destitute  family  in  this  village.  You  can  build 
or  buy  mills  in  some  place  where  they  can  be  given  regular 
employment  at  fair  wages.  You  can  provide  them  with 
homes  instead  of  barracks.  You  can  furnish  the  sick 
with  nurses  and  medicines,  keep  the  children  at  school, 
Decome,  in  short,  a  Princess  Bountiful  .'  Would  you 
refuse  three  millions  when  people  are  almost  starving 
about  you  1  You  would  deserve  the  obloquy  of  every 
one  of  the  hundreds  who  now  look  up  to  you  as  to  an  ora- 
cle !  Refuse  it !  If  you  stood  by  a  river  filled  with 
droivning  men  would  you  refuse  a  boat  in  which  to  save 
them  ?" 

Then  he  turned  to  Westland  with  a  positive  air  and 
said  : 

"  She  will  accept  the  legacy." 

It  was  the  first  time  the  mill-agent  had  ever  seen 
she  mind  of  the  man  dominate  that  of  the  woman. 
Clearly  it  did  so  in  this  case,  for  she  made  no  protest. 

"She  will  also  attend  the  funeral,"  added  Hugh,  aftei 
&  pause.  And,  before  she  could  utter  the  reply  that  rose 
*o  her  tongue,  "  Ellen  has  sacrificed  too  much  to  her 
associates  not  to  make  one  more  effort  at  an  important 


986  TBAKING   OF   ELLEH. 

time  like  this  She  will  go  to  New  York  with  you  on  th# 
morning  train,  and  do  whatever  is  proper  and  necessary. 
Believe  me,  Mr.  Westland,  she  will  not  fail  to  be  ready." 

Mayfield's  predictions  were  fulfilled  in  all  respects. 
The  New  York  train  on  the  following  morning  carried 
Westland  and  Ellen  to  the  city.  Upon  arriving  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue  he  procured  apartments  for  her,  and  sent 
for  a  modiste,  who  took  his  orders  and  proceeded  to  ar- 
ray the  girl  in  mourning  habiliments  according  to  the  pre- 
vailing fashion.  Hugh  had  exacted  a  positive  promise 
that  she  would  submit  to  every  reasonable  proposal,  and 
she  stifled  the  rebellious  feelings  tha*  constantly  rose  to 
the  surface. 

In  the  early  evening  Westland  called  to  ask  that  she 
look  upon  the  dead.  He  escorted  her  to  the  door  of  the 
room  wherein  the  body  lay,  and  thoughtfully  waited  for 
her  at  the  entrance.  She  had  nerved  herself  for  the  or- 
deal ;  but  when  she  saw  the  handsome  face  in  the  casket, 
and  realized  all  at  once  whose  it  was,  her  self-possession 
gave  way.  With  a  loud  cry  she  threw  herself  upon  the 
bier  and  kissed  the  cold  features, 

"  Father,  dear  father  !"  she  cried.  "I  do,  oh  t  I  do 
love  you  !     Dear,  dear  father,  forgive  me  I" 

She  sobbed  so  wildly  that  Westland's  fears  were 
aroused,  and  he  entered  the  room.  The  sight  that  met 
his  eyes  nearly  unmanned  him.  He  was  greatly  moved, 
and  going  to  her  side  he  put  his  arm  around  her. 

"  Did  I  say  I  did  not  love  my  father  ?"  she  cried,  vehe- 
mently, raising  her  face  to  look  at  him.  "  I  could  not 
have  said  it !  My  dear,  darling  father  I  Why  was  I  not 
permitted  to  tell  him  of  my  love  before  he  could  no 
longer  hear  my  voice  ?  Don't  you  think  he  can  still  com' 
prehend — a  little  ?  May  it  not  be  he  can  hear  what  I  say 
and  forgive  me  ?" 


AM   AWFUL   SHOCK    AKD  JA&  fS) 

Westiand  told  her  he  did  not  doubt  it  It  was  a  piou% 
falsehood,  but  who  can  talk  philosophy  in  the  presence  of 
the  dead  ?  Faith,  blind  unreasoning  faith,  is  the  only 
medicine  then  !  It  is  an  opiate  that  may  at  least  mitigate 
the  pain  it  cannot  cure ! 

After  a  time  he  persuaded  her  with  difficulty  to  leave  the 
apartment. 

She  turned  faintly  from  the  casket,  and  accepted  the 
support  of  his  arm. 

"  I  am  so  lonesome  !"  she  said.  "I  did  not  know  how 
weak  I  could  become.  I  wonder  if  there  is  anyone  else 
in  the  world  without  a  single  soul  to  love  them  !" 

He  paused  and  poured  into  her  swimming  eyes  the  full 
lustre  of  his  own. 

"  Ellen,  remember  your  father's  dyini^  wish  !" 

And  she  did  not  refuse  the  kiss  lie  offered. 


CHAPTER  XX 

A»  AWrUL  SHOCK  AMD  JAK. 

Westiand  returned  to  Riverfall  with  Ellen,  but  they 
parted  at  the  station.  Mayfield  met  them  there  and 
walked  with  her  to  her  rooms,  like  the  brother  he  had 
always  been.  He  waited  for  her  to  speak,  as  was  his 
custom,  but  she  delayed  so  long  that  he  was  compelled 
to  break  the  silence. 

"  Ellen,  tell  me  everything." 

As  the  gentle  tones  broke  upon  her  ear  she  looked  up. 
Yes,  it  was  Hugh  ;  steadfast,  self-denying  Hugh,  who 
had  proved  himseif  worthy  of  every  trust,  over  and  ovet 
again. 


838  SPEAKWO   OF    KLLSa. 

"Two  terrible  things  have  happened,"  she  replied.  **! 
have  consented  to  take  my  father's  foitune — the  thought 
of  which  bears  me  down  like  a  burden — and — I  have 
promised  to  marry." 

A  shadow,  brief  as  the  passing  of  a  bullet,  crossed  his 
features. 

"  I  expected  it  ;  when  is  it  to  occur  ?" 

"  There  has  been  nothing  said  about  that.  It  was  my 
father's  last  request,  and  I  could  not  refuse.  Oh,  Hugh, 
you  cannot  imagine  how  dear  that  man  became  to  me 
when  I  saw  him  lying  in  his  casket !  All  my  hard 
thoughts  vanished,  and  the  filial  tie  asserted  itself  with 
most  wonderful  power." 

He  was  a  man  of  direct  speech,  who  knew  not  how  to 
equivocate  in  question  or  answer. 

"  Are  you  to  marry  merely  to  please  your  father  ?" 

"No,  I  do  not  mean  that,"  she  replied,  with  deepening 
color.  "  I  have  esteemed  Mr.  Westland  ever  since  I 
first  saw  him.  You  know  that,  Hugh.  You  have  known 
it  all  the  time." 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  laconically.  "I  have  known  it.  But 
why  do  you  call  your  engagement  a  *  terrible  '  thing  .''" 

She  looked  at  him  and  through  him. 

"  What  could  be  more  so.'  What  in  all  the  relations 
of  life  is  so  awful,  so  sacred,  so  pregnant  with  possibilities 
for  happiness  or  misery?  I  had  thought  to  pass  my  life 
alone,  as  a  humble  weaver  in  the  mills,  content  to  help 
where  I  could,  and  cheer  the  sad  \ot  of  those  about  me. 
Now  all  is  changed.  I  shall  have  new  hopes,  new  fears, 
new  duties  never  contemplated.  I  shall  be  a  wife— 
perhaps  a  mother  !  Oh,  Hugh  !  I  tremble  before  the 
future  that  has  never  till  now  given  me  the  least  ap- 
prehension ' " 


▲N   AWTUL   SHOCK   AND  JAB.  9S9 

She  waited  for  him  to  say  something,  but  he  temained 

silent. 

"  He  will  help  me  very  much,"  she  continued.  "  He  is  a 
man  of  business,  and  understands  what  to  do  with  money. 
I  want  to  get  all  the  good  possible  out  of  my  inheritance 
for  the  poor  people.  He  is  very  wise  and  I  am  very 
ignorant.  He  was  a  hard  man  when  he  came  here, 
because  his  education  had  made  him  so,  but  all  that  is 
changed.  His  heart  was  always  right.  Why  do  you  not 
speak  ?     Of  what  are  you  thinking?" 

"  I  was  thinking,"  he  said,  quietly,  "  how  easily  a 
woman  makes  excuses  for  the  man  she  loves  !  " 

What  did  Hugh  mean  ?  Honest,  straightforward, 
unselfish  Hugh.  But  he  did  not  seem  inclined  to  say 
more  on  the  subject,  and  she  did  not  like  to  press  him. 

She  took  a  roll  of  bank  bills  from  her  pocket  in  proud 
satisfaction. 

"Our  funds  must  be  getting  low.  Here  is  a  thousand 
dollars.  When  it  is  gone  there  is  plenty  where  it  came 
from.  Philip  tells  me  I  have  three  thousand  times  as 
much  as  that.  What  a  marvelous  thing  that  one  person 
can  control  such  a  sum  !  That  one  can  decree  food 
and  clothing  to  hundreds  !  It  is  a  power  like  to  that 
of  Deity  !" 

He  took  up  the  money  and  looked  at  it. 

"  Whose  is  this  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Mine  !  "  she  said,  triumphantly.     "  My  own  !  ** 

"  And  how  did  you  get  it  !" 

"  It  was  my  father's." 

"  How  inconsistent  we  are  !"  he  exclaimed,  with  some- 
thing very  like  a  smile.  "  We  have  argued  against  this 
kind  of  thing — you  and  I — ever  since  we  have  known 
each  other.  We  have  been  so  sure  that  men  who  pile  up 
big  fortunes  have  no  moral  right  to  dispose  of  them  at 


340  SPEAKmO    OF   ELLBSir. 

death  according  to  their  fancy  !  We  have  preached  the 
doctrine  that  such  property  should  not  belong  to  children 
— that  it  should  be  taken  by  the  State  for  the  general 
advantage  !  And  at  the  first  opportunity  to  test  our 
candor  we  accept  our  millions  as  others  do  !" 

But  Ellen  had  an  answer  ready  for  him  : 

"When  the  State  reaches  a  plane  that  makes  it  the 
best  custodian  of  wealth,  we  will  place  our  possessions 
in  its  hands.  Heaven  knows  I  would  a  thousand  times 
rather  it  had  the  distribution  of  mine  than  that  the  task 
lay  upon  myself.  If  I  did  not  feel  sure  that  Philip  would 
lift  much  of  the  burden,  I  should  hesitate  even  to  make 
the  attempt." 

Then  they  discussed  the  meeting  of  the  directors  that 
was  about  to  take  place,  at  which  Westland's  resignation 
would  be  given.  Hugh  remarked  that  it  was  almost 
certain  Ezra  Baker  would  be  the  new  agent. 

"  How  providential  it  seems,"  said  Ellen,  brightening, 
**  that  at  our  darkest  hour  I  should  be  able  to  do  so 
much  !  We  could  hope  for  literally  nothing  from  Mr. 
Baker.  But  money — that  factor  that  is  all-powerful  under 
our  present  system — what  can  it  not  accomplish  ?  Is 
there  anything  that  the  possessor  of  three  millions  could 
want  and  fail  to  obtain  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Hugh  ;  "  married  happiness." 

Her  face  clouded  again. 

"You  mistrust  Philip  !  How  can  you?  When  he  was 
our  most  determined  opponent  you  believed  in  him  ; 
now,  when  he  is  about  to  become  one  of  us,  you  doubt 
Do  you  think  it  is  my  fortune  that  attracts  him  ?  He 
told  his  love  long  ago,  when  I  had  not  even  a  name  to 
offer  him.  Don't  insinuate  such  things.  They  hurt 
me!" 

He  waited  a  little  before  he  answered.     But  he  was  not 


AX  AWFUL  SHOCK   AWD  JAS.  941 

one  of  those  who  shrink  from  givinp^  needed  medicine 
merely  because  it  is  not  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

"  Philip  Westland,"  he  said,  at  last,  "  is  a  capitalist, 
born  and  bred.  All  of  his  business  ideas  run  in  that 
channel.  If  he  wanders  for  the  moment  from  his  former 
course  it  is  not  because  his  convictions  have  changed.  I 
have  known  him  long  enough  to  read  him  through  and 
through.  I  understand  him  now  better  than  I  ever  did 
before.  He  is  under  the  control  of  a  master  passion,  and  is 
exhibiting  its  effect  on  a  mind  unused  to  such  influences. 
He  is  lulled  to  sleep.  Ellen,  beware  of  him  when  he 
awakes  !" 

His  v/ords  distressed  her,  but  through  all  she  wore  the 
look  of  a  w^oman  who  loves  and  cannot  be  convinced. 

"You  care  so  much  for  conscientiousness,"  pursued 
Hugh,  "and  that  man  is  not  following  the  dictates  of  his 
conscience.  He  has  abandoned  his  standard  of  Duty  to 
pursue  that  of  Inclination,  He  sacrifices  his  sense  of 
right  to  his  Love,  as  in  the  old  German  myths  men  sac- 
rificed their  souls  for  gold  to  the  Spirit  of  Evil.  I  will 
do  him  no  injustice  ;  I  do  not  think  he  cares  anything 
for  your  fortune.  But  for  you  he  is  crushing  out  every 
honest  prompting  of  his  heart,  and  no  one  can  do  that 
with  impunity,  mistaken    though   those  promptings  be." 

A  glorified  expression  came  into  the  countenance  of 
the  Marchioness  of  Riverfall — a  look  like  that  which  the 
old  masters  caught  out  of  heaven  to  illuminate  the  faces 
of  their  Madonnas. 

"  Happy  am  I  to  have  lived,  if  I  have  indeed  excited 
such  love  in  the  breast  of  such  a  man  !"  she  cried,  rap- 
turously. "  If  Philip  cares  for  me  with  that  devotion 
which  you  describe,  he  will  be  only  too  glad  to  carry  out 
my  wishes,  and  in  time  the  effect  of  his  pernicious  educa- 
tion will  surely  disappear.      Trust  me,  the  husband's  at* 


242  aPEAKiNcr  of  blibk. 

tachment  will  not  become  less  than  the  lover's.  Banish 
your  uncanny  fears.  The  clouds  are  leaving  our  skies, 
and  we  must  see  that  they  desert  our  faces  also  !" 

Hugh's  argument  was  continued  for  an  hour  longer, 
but  with  no  effect  upon  Ellen.  He  would  not  say  that 
he  advised  her  to  break  her  engagement,  but  he  wished 
her  to  realize  the  full  effect  of  the  step  she  was  about  to 
take.  In  the  optimistic  light  of  a  new-born  love  the  girl 
could  see  nothing  that  militated  against  her  desires.  All 
that  he  succeeded  in  doing  was  to  clear  up  the  darkness 
that  had  fallen  upon  her  in  New  York,  and  give  her  the 
brightest  hopes  she  had  had  for  months. 

Westland  came  in  while  they  were  talking.  When  his 
e5''e  lit  on  Ellen's  face  and  he  saw  how  happy  it  was,  his 
heart  gave  a  great  bound.  He  took  her  hand  with  the 
reverence  of  a  devotee,  and  together  they  faced  Hugh. 

"  Have  you  told  him  ?" 

She  assented,  blushingly. 

**  Congratulate  me,  Hugh." 

The  "  mill-hand  "  took  them  both  in  with  his  frank  blue 
eyes. 

"I  can  easily  do  that,  Mr.  Westland,"  he  said.  "You 
nave  won  a  great  prize.  But — can  I  say  as  much  to 
Ellen  ?" 

Westland  started,  and  his  face  grew  dark. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  sir  ?" 

The  Marchioness  stole  a  soft  arm  about  his  neck,  and 
ne  recovered  instantly.  He  felt  how  foolish  it  was  to 
mind  one  little  spot  in  such  an  efiFulgent  sun  as  shone  on 
him  that  day. 

"  I  am  sorry  it  displeases  you,  Hugh,"  he  said.  **  I 
know  how  ill  I  deserve  so  wonderful  a  gift  as  Ellen's  love 
To  become  more  worthy  of  it  will  be  the  aim  of  every 
hour  of   my  life.      The  directors  have   just  accepted  my 


AN    AWFUL    BHOOX:   AXD   JAR.  34:8 

resignation,  and  elected  Mr.  Baker  in  my  place.  For  the 
first  time  in  months  I  feel  like  a  free  man.  I  only  wait 
now  to  be  assigned  to  the  new  and  more  agreeable 
duty  of  assisting  to  provide  homes  and  occupation  for 
our  friends  here.  I  have  without  doubt  a  great  deal  to 
learn,  but  you  will  find  me  an  apt  scholar.  I  need  ali 
your  good  will,  all  your  forbearance,  all  the  aid  you  can 
give  me.     May  I  not  have  it  ?" 

He  extended  his  hand,  and  Mayfield  took  it  in  his 
own. 

"  It  was  1  who  first  brought  you  into  this  room,"  he 
said,  looking  fixedly  at  Westland.  "  I  shall  never  cease 
to  regret  that  act  if  it  brings  one  pang  to  the  heart  of 
this  girl,  or  one  tear  to  her  eyes.  We  are  friends — very 
good.  If  we  ever  cease  to  be  so,  woe  to  the  one  of  us  on 
jvhom  the  blame  shall  rest !" 

Hugh  left  them  and,  much  as  they  both  liked  the 
young  "  mill-hand,"  they  were  not  sorry  to  find  them- 
selves alone. 

"What  came  over  him  ?"  he  asked.  "I  always  sup- 
posed he  liked  me." 

She  devoured  him  with  her  eyes,  in  all  the  pride  of 
ownership. 

"  What  should  we  care,  so  long  as  we  have  each  other  ?" 

He  endorsed  that  sentiment  in  its  general  effect,  but 
still  persisted  in  his  question.  He  had  known  Hugh  so 
long,  and  had  been  on  such  friendly  terms  with  him,  that 
the  recent  coolness  seemed  to  need  an  explanation. 

"He  is  often  unaccountable,"  said  Ellen,  "but  he  is 
one  of  the  best  fellows  that  ever  lived.  However,  you 
have  no  longer  any  cause  to  trouble  yourself  about  the 
matter.  He  has  made  an  alliance  with  you,  and  you  have 
only  to  observe  the  conditions." 

He  laughed  at    that,  but    he  grew  serious  a  minut« 


244  epEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

after  ;  and,  taking  both  of  her  hands  in  his,  asked  if  she 
were  sorry  yet  that  she  had  promised  to  wed  him.  She 
did  not  give  him  a  verbal  answer,  declaring  that  it  was 
absurd  to  treat  such  a  question  seriously,  but  her  lips 
touched  his  for  the  first  time,  and  he  was  satisfied, 

*'  When  shall  it  be  ?"  he  whispered,  bending  close  to 
her. 

"  Oh,  not  for  a  long  time,"  she  answered,  her  voice 
shaking.  "  There  are  so  many  things  to  be  done  first, 
We  must  not  seek  too  much  happiness  for  ourselves  until 
others  are  removed  from  the  danger  of  actual  suffering. 
Have  you  thought  of  any  place  yet  where  our  money  ca« 
be  invested  so  as  to  provide  the  people  with  work? 
That  must  be  done  as  soon  as  possible.  Love  should 
not  make  us  selfish,  Philip." 

He  drew  a  long  breath, 

"  If  I  am  to  wait  until  I  can  provide  work  for  two 
thousand  people,  I  must  be  active  indeed,"  he  smiled. 
"And  yet  I  fancy  my  task  is  not  quite  as  herculean  as  it 
might  appear.  I  have  a  scheme  in  mind  that  may  accom- 
plish the  result  much  sooner  than  you  would  suppose. 
Possibly  a  few  weeks  will  suffice.  If  it  does,  I  will  con- 
sent to  the  delay  you  ask,  but  otherwise  I  would  advise 
you  not  to  be  too  cruel  ;  for  I  warn  you  that,  as  a  minor 
heir  to  a  large  estate,  I  can  have  you  put  under  guardian- 
ship, and  get  myself  appointed  to  take  charge  of  you." 

Ellen  laughed  merrily  at  the  fancy,  and  pressed  yet 
closer  the  hand  she  held.  How  pleasant  it  was  to  have 
him  there  on  such  intimate  terms  ! 

"What  is  your  great  scheme  ?"  she  asked.  "I  told 
Hugh  that  you  had  a  head  for  business  which  would  be 
invaluable  to  our  cause." 

"  Listen,"  he  said.  "  I  want  you  to  do  a  little  figuring 
with  me.     The  Great  Central  Corporation  is  capitalized 


AN    AWFUL    8HOCK    AND   JAR.  945 

at  $5,000,000,  divided  into  ten  thousand  shares  of  the 
par  value  of  $500  each.  By  your  father's  will,  you  have 
come  into  possession  of  three  thousand  of  those  shares." 

She  opened  her  eyes  wide. 

"  Three  thousand  !     Have  I  so  many  ?" 

"  Yes,  Ellen.  Your  father  was  much  the  largest  owner 
in  these  mills,  and  yet  he  had  never  seen  Riverfall  since 
his  youth.  He  used  to  send  me  his  stock  to  vote  on  at 
the  annual  meetings.  Now,  the  Melbourg  estate,  most 
of  the  income  of  which  belongs  to  Ralph  and  Edna, 
owns  eight  hundred  shares,  and  I  have  one  hundred 
shares.  To  control  the  stock,  five  thousand  and  one 
shares  are  necessary.  With  that  number  in  our  hands 
we  could  elect  a  new  board  of  directors  and  start  the 
mills,  leaving  the  people  in  their  houses  exactly  as  they 
are.  If  you  will  allow  me  to  buy  enough  to  make  up 
what  is  needed,  out  of  your  other  funds — " 

The  girl  sprang  up,  threw  both  arms  around  his  neck, 
and  kissed  him  madly. 

''If.'"'  she  cried,  ecstatically.     "//".' — " 

"  But  there  is  another  thing  to  consider,"  he  con- 
tinued. "  Though  the  par  value  of  the  stock  is  $500,  the 
troubles  here  have  greatly  reduced  its  selling  price.  I 
saw  it  quoted  at  $307  yesterday.  At  that  rate  we  can  buy 
all  we  need  for  $325,000,  if  nobody  suspects  ivhat  we  are 
trying  to  do.     Shall  I  attempt  it  ?" 

Her  answer  was  to  kiss  him  again,  m  the  most  unre- 
strained manner.  The  Marchioness  was  becoming  very 
undignified. 

"  I  will  leave  it  all  to  your  judgment.  If  it  is  possible 
to  start  up  the  Riverfall  mills  it  will  be  much  preferable 
to  a  wholesale  deportation.  Oh  !  how  much  I  shall 
hope  fur  your  success  !" 

He  put  his  arm  about  her  waist. 


946  BFSAKIWG    OF    ELLEN. 

"  How  can  I  help  succeeding,  with  such  an  incentive  !* 
he  said.  "  For  you  are  to  wed  me,  remember,  as  soon  as 
I  start  the  mill-wheels." 

"I  promise,"  answered  Ellen.  "And — if  you  are  too 
long  about  it — I  may  reduce  the  time  of  my  own  accord. 
Go  now,"  she  added,  blushing  violently.  "You  make 
me  say  things  I  am  ashamed  of." 

But  it  is  not  so  easy  for  engaged  lovers  to  tear  them- 
selves apart.  Another  hour  passed,  and  then,  instead  of 
departing  alone,  he  persuaded  Ellen  to  walk  out  a  little 
distance  with  him.  Though  the  evening  was  young,  the 
street  lamps  were  lighted,  and  they  found  themselves 
avoiding  the  more  crowded  thoroughfares. 

Suddenly  a  terrific  noise  burst  upon  their  ears,  and 
they  felt  a  shock  that  nearly  threw  them  to  the  earth. 

As  soon  as  they  recovered,  they  saw  an  immense  crowd, 
that  poured  out  of  the  houses  and  took  a  single  direc- 
tion. They  followed  the  crowd  and  soon  knew  what  had 
made  the  awful  noise  and  jar. 

Mill  No.  I,  the  largest  of  the  seven  owned  by  the  Great 
Central  Corporation,  lay  in  a  heap  of  ruins. 

//  had  been  blown  to  pieces  with  dynamite! 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

**  WHATEVER    THE   WORLD   MAY  SAT.** 

When  the  directors  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation 
chose  Ezra  Baker  to  fill  Agent  Westland's  place,  he  told 
them  plainly  what  he  intended  to  do.  He  said  he  should 
carry  out  to  the  letter  the  policv  b^cun  and  discontinued 


"  WHATETKK   THE   WORLD   MAT    BAT. 


a47 


bV  his  predecessor,  and  should  even  improve  upon  it 
His   intention  was  not  only  to  go  through  the  evicting 
process  again,  but  to  fill  the  corporation  tenements  with 
new  workmen,  with  whom  he  would  at  once  start  up  the 
mills      If  ^ny  trouble  arose,  he  proposed  to  call  upon  the 
military,  and  next  time  there  would  be  no  half  "measures. 
His  expectation  was  that  the  Riverfall  mills  would  be 
running    with    imported    laborers   in  about  a  fortnight. 
He  would  hire  such  of  the  old  hands  as  he  might  need, 
but  not  one  of  their  leaders  should  ever  find  employment 
with   him.      As    to    "that    woman   who   called   herself 
Ellen  "  there  was  little  more  to  fear  from  her,  as  she  had, 
he  understood,  inherited    money,  and   would   probably 
take   herself    away.     The  town  officials,  he  announced, 
were  entirely  in  his  hands,  and  a  case  would  be  made  out 
promptly   against     anyone    who  interfered    in  the  least 
with  the  future  running  of  the  mills. 

Agent  Baker's  remarks  were  greeted  with  applause. 
The  directors  were  endowed  with  new  courage.  Under 
such  a  manager  it  seemed  to  them  that  a  dividend  might 
once  more  be  earned,  after  all. 

It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  the  director  s 
meeting  adjourned.  It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  a  constable  began  tacking  new  eviction  notices 
upon  the  doors  of  one  of  the  corporation  houses.  It  was 
half-past  six  o  clock  in  the  afternoon  when  Mill  No.  i 
became  a  mass  of  ruins,  with  a  noise  that  shook  every 
building  in  Riverfall. 

Mr  Baker  himself  was  one  of  the  first  of  those  who 
hurried  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster.  Though  recognized 
by  all  of  the  mill  people  whom  he  met,  not  one  of  them 
had  a  smile  or  a  greeting  for  him.  As  he  looked  upon 
the  wreck,  his  lips  grew  white  with  rage.  A  quarter  of 
an  hour  previously  one  of  the  best-appointed  mills  in  tM 


SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

State  had  stood  on  that  spot.  It  was  equipped  with 
power,  machinery  and  all  accessories  for  the  manufacture 
of  cloth.  In  its  place  he  saw  nothing  but  a  confused 
heap  of  brick,  bent  iron  and  broken  roofing.  Two 
hundred  thousand  dollars  would  not  more  than  repair 
the  loss. 

And  this  was  the  net  result  of  his  first  day  as  re-elected 
agent ! 

While  he  stood  there  one  of  the  Agency  servants  came 
and  thrust  a  letter  into  his  hand.  A  man  had  just  left  it, 
he  said,  with  the  statement  that  it  contained  a  message 
of  importance.  Mr.  Baker  tore  open  the  envelope  and 
read  : 

"  One  of  your  mills  has  fallen.  If  the  eviction  notices 
are  not  removed  before  to-morrow  evening,  another  will 
go  down.  A  guard  will  be  useless.  You  cannot  save 
them.     Take  your  choice.  Justice." 

The  agent  lost  no  time  in  seeking  out  the  chief  of 
police,  and  showing  him  the  note. 

"  That  is  a  nice  kind  of  letter  for  a  man  to  receive,"  he 
snapped.  "  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  Must  I  stand 
by  and  see  my  property  destroyed  under  such  threats  as 
this,  before  the  eyes  of  your  force  ?" 

The  chief  hemmed  gently.  He  did  not  wish  to  offend 
so  important  a  gentleman,  and  yet  he  felt  that  he  must 
say  something  in  his  own  behalf. 

"  My  entire  force,"  he  said,  "  numbers  but  thirty  men. 
How  could  that  number  make  a  successful  guard  fof 
seven  mills  ?  Probably  the  explosive  used  in  this 
instance  was  dynamite.  Undoubtedly  every  one  of  yout 
mills  has  had  a  quantity  of  this  material  placed  sur- 
reptitiously beneath  it.  The  person  who  explodes  it 
need   not   necessarily   go   inside   the  gates     The  same 


•*  WHATEVER  THK  WORLD  MAT  SAT."       249 

result  can  easily  be  obtained,  at  a  distance,  by  means  ot 

electric  or  other  contrivances.  You  must  temporize 
until  another  body  of  soldiers  can  be  brought  here.  My 
little  force  was  not  meant  for  such  an  emergency,  Mr. 
Baker." 

The  agent  sniffed  the  air  indignantly.  Nothing  is  more 
provoking  than  to  have  a  police  force — no  matter  of  what 
size — show  its  inadequacy  to  deal  with  any  question 
whatever.  If  you  lose  your  purse — or  your  child — or 
your  wife — your  first  inquiry  is,  "  Where  are  the  police  ? " 
Should  they  fail,  within  ten  minutes,  to  restore  the  miss- 
ing article  their  complete  uselessness  is  amply  demon- 
strated. Mill  No.  I  had  been  blown  to  atoms  half  an 
hour  before,  and  the  Riverfall  police  had  not  caught  the 
perpetrator  !  The  chief  had  even  the  temerity  to  intimate 
that  all  the  other  mills  might  meet  the  same  fate  unless 
terms  were  made  with  the  scoundrels  !  Who  could  blame 
Mr.  Baker  for  growing  more  excited  than  ever,  and  men- 
tally vowing  that  he  would  have  the  chief  and  the  police 
force  and  everybody  else  investigated  before  he  was  a 
week  older? 

The  agent's  next  move  was  to  seek  Chairman  Hunt,  of 
the  town  board.  That  official  had  been  so  badly  fright- 
ened by  the  explosion  that  his  teeth  were  still  chattering. 
He  told  Mr.  Baker  how  earnestly  he  had  plead  with  the 
militia  to  remain  and  guard  at  least  his  own  residence, 
which  he  had  now  no  doubt  was  situated  on  a  dynamite 
mine.  The  agent  was  disgusted  with  the  man's  pusillan- 
imity, but  he  concealed  his  feelings  as  well  as  he  could. 
From  his  official  position,  Mr.  Hunt's  word  might  be  of 
value  at  this  time.  Mr.  Baker  told  him  to  go  to  the  cap- 
ital on  the  next  train,  seek  an  audience  with  the  Gov- 
ernor, and  ask  that  a  regiment,  or  two,  if  possible,  be  sent 
to  Riverfall  early  the  following  morning,  A  dozen  Pinker* 


250  SPBAKINQ   OF    ELLXir. 

ton  detectives  should  also  be  engaged,  to  come  quietly 
into  the  town   from   different  points,   in   citizens'  dress. 

Chairman  Hunt  was  only  too  glad  to  leave  the  place, 
where  he  confidently  expected  to  be  murdered  before 
da)dight  ;  and,  with  his  teeth  still  chattering,  he  slipped 
through  back  streets  to  the  railroad  station,  and  departed 
©n  his  journey. 

Ralph  Melbourg  was  paying  a  visit  to  his  cousin  Edna 
at  the  Riverfall  House  when  the  explosion  occurred. 
Ralph  had  heard  the  story  of  Ellen's  attendance  at  her 
father's  funeral,  and  of  her  reputed  inheritance,  and  these 
subjects  formed  the  basis  of  their  conversation.  The 
terrific  noise  that  broke  upon  their  ears  startled  both,  but 
especially  Edna,  whose  first  thought  was  of  an  earth» 
quake.  Ralph,  though  quite  unable  to  assign  a  cause 
for  the  disturbance,  quieted  her  as  well  as  he  could,  and 
bidding  her  rest  tranquil  till  his  return,  went  out  to  learn 
what  he  could  of  the  matter. 

He  had  been  gone  but  a  few  minutes  when  Nathalie 
came  in.  The  little  French  girl  and  the  daughter  of 
Laban  Melbourg  had  become  attached  friends  during 
the  past  few  weeks.  Edna  had  learned  from  Ralph 
his  intention  to  make  Nathalie  his  wife  as  soon  as 
circumstances  would  permit,  and  v/armly  endorsed  his 
proposal.  Though  Mollie  was  close  at  hand,  Edna  felt 
a  deeper  confidence  in  her  cousin's  affianced,  and  wel- 
comed her  joyfully.  When  Ralph  returned  and  told  them 
of  the  disaster  to  the  mill,  both  of  the  girls  begged  to  be 
taken  to  the  place.  Notwithstanding  her  blindness,  Edna 
had  a  way  of  her  own  of  comprehending  events,  and  she 
was  as  anxious  to  join  the  crowd  at  the  ruin  as  any  of 
the  others  who  were  rushing  to  the  spot.  So  Ralph  took 
one  of  them  on  each  arm  and  sallied  forth. 

When  they  reached  the  site  of  the  mill,  Edna  plied  her 


"  WHATEVES   THE    WORLD   MAT   SAY. 


251 


escort  with  a  hundred  questions.     She  wanted  to  knovf 
exactly  how  everything  looked  before  the  explosion  and 
to  have  a  carefully  detailed  statement  of  its  present  ap- 
pearance     When  he  said  that  the  material  probably  used 
in  its  demolition  was  dynamite,  she  wanted  more  particu- 
lars regarding  that  destructible  agent  than  he  could  give 
her      A  mill,^  in   which   hundreds  of  people  had  found 
employment,  had  gone  down  in  a  second.     Such  an  im- 
mense  force   inspired  the  girl  with  an  awe  greater  than 
she  could  express.     No  one  who  stood  about  the  debris 
that  had   so  lately  been   Mill  No.  i   felt  more  deeply  the 
terrible  woik  of  the  explosive.  _ 

Nathalie   listened  attentively  to  all  the  questions  and 
answers,  but  said  nothing. 

Philip  Westland,  with  Ellen  on  his  arm,  came  through 
the  crowd,   which  made  way  for  them,  to  where  Edna, 
Nathalie   and   Ralph  were  standing.     Westland  had  not 
spoken  to  Ralph  since  that  night  when  the  young  man 
in  an  ugly  temper,  had  accused  him  of  heartlessness  and 
signified  his  intention  of  quitting  his  roof  on  the  follow- 
ing   morning.     As  for   Nathalie,  he  had  never  seen  her. 
and  did    not   know  until  that  day  that  she  had  come  to 
Riv^rfall        No    one    would    have   suspected,   however, 
from  witnessing  the  meeting,  that  there  had  been  any- 
thing  like  strained   relations  between  any  of  the  party. 
He  cordially  extended  his  hand  to  Ralph,  and  ^^  was  as 
cordially   grasped.      Ralph  introduced  "My  fnend,  Miss 
LaVerre"      Then  Ellen  spoke  to  all  of  them,  but  espe- 
cially to  Miss  Melbourg,  to  whom  she  had  been  formally 
presented  at  one  of  the  meetings  given  her  committee  at 
the   Agency.     And,  after  remaining  a  short  time  longer, 
discussing   the  strange   sight   they  had  ^o-^^^^J^^^^f  .^' 
the  entire  party,  joined  on  the  way  by  Hugh  Mayfield. 


263  SPEAKING    UF    ELLEN. 

walked  back  to  the  Riverfall  House  and  entered  one  oi 
the  parlors. 

"  I  have  a  very  pleasant  secret  to  impart  to  you,"  said 
Westland,  when  they  were  seated,  "  At  least,  I  presume 
it  is  a  secret  to  all  except  our  good  friend  Hugh,  who  has 
already  been  told.  It  may  serve  to  clear  up  some  of  the 
gloom  that  the  occurrences  of  the  evening  have  cast  on 
this  assembly.  I  v/ant  you  all  to  know  that  the  greatest 
happiness  that  can  come  to  man  is  soon  to  be  mine. 
Miss  Eastman  has  promised  to  be   my  wife." 

All  but  Hugh  put  on  an  expression  of  puzzled  doubt. 

"  Miss  Eastman  ?"  queried  Ralph. 

"  Miss  Ellen  Eastman,"  responded  Westland,  taking 
her  hand,  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to  whom  he  referred. 
"  Her  father,  Colonel  Edwin  Eastman,  left  his  fortune  in 
my  hands  as  trustee.  His  daughter  supplements  the 
trust  with  the  more  sacred  one  of  her  own  dear  self." 

Ellen  blushed,  but  she  did  not  withdraw  the  hand  he 
held,  Edna  was  the  first  to  realize  the  situation.  Sh, 
came  across  the  room,  took  the  face  of  the  Marchioness 
between  her  hands,  and  kissed  her  affectionally. 

"  I  could  have  wished  neither  of  you  a  greater  bless- 
ing," she  said.  "  I  have  known  Philip  since  I  was  first 
big  enough  to  creep  upon  his  lap.  He  is  worthy  of  the 
love  of  any  woman.  As  for  you,  Ellen,  I  have  heard 
your  voice  only  twice,  but  I  am  seldom  mistaken  in  my 
impressions.  You  are  a  true  woman,  and  only  such  a 
man  as  he  who  has  won  you  deserves  so  great  a  treas- 
ure." 

When  the  congratulations  that  followed  began  to  sub- 
side, Ralph  whispered  something  to  Nathalie,  who  red- 
dened in  her  turn,  but  offered  no  objection. 

**As  marriages  seem  to  be  in  order,"  he  said,  aloud,  "I 


*  WHATEVER   THE   WORLD   MAY   •AT."  MMI 

may  as  well  announce  another.     Before  many  days  Miss 
Nathalie  LaVerre  will  be  Mrs.  Ralph  Melbourg." 

Westland  started  at  the  name.  "  Nathalie !"  Could 
it  be  that  Ralph  had  brought  his  little  French  mistress 
here,  and  allowed  her  to  enter  the  company  of  girls  like 
Ellen  and  Edna  ?  He  looked  at  her  and  became  con- 
vinced that  such  was  the  probability.  The  next  few 
minutes  were  very  uncomfortable  ones  for  him.  He 
gave  the  girl  his  hand,  as  did  the  others.  He  saw  Ellen 
draw  her  to  her  breast  and  imprint  a  kiss  upon  her  lips  ! 
The  atmosphere  of  the  hotel  parlor  seemed  to  stifle  him. 
He  whispered  to  Ellen  that  they  ought  to  be  going,  and 
was  very  thankful  when  he  found  himself  with  her  in  the 
cool,  bracing  air  of  the  street. 

"  I  fear,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of  hearing, 
"that  Ralph  is  doing  a  very  ill-advised  thing.  I  have 
more  than  a  suspicion  that  Miss  LaVerre  is  not  the  kind 
of  girl  that  a  man  should  marry,  or  that  I  would  like  my 
Ellen  to  associate  with." 

She  knew  Nathalie's  story  much  better  than  he,  but 
she  leaned  a  little  more  heavily  on  his  arm  as  she  asked 
him  why.  It  was  so  pleasant  to  lean  on  that  arm,  and 
to  think  that  it  was  to  be  her  sure  support  through  all 
the  rest  of  her  life.  Very  pleasant  indeed  it  was  to  this 
girl,  who  had  carried  not  only  her  own  burdens  but 
many  another's  almost  ever  since  she  had  learned  to 
walk  ! 

"  Why  ?"  she  asked  him,  looking  up  tenderly  into  his 
face. 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,"  he  answered.  "  You  must  not  ask 
me  too  much.  But  I  assure  you,  unless  I  am  mistaken 
in  the  person,  there  is  the  strongest  reasons  for  what  f 
•ay." 


S54  SPEAKmO    OF    ELLEH. 

She  smiled  winningiy,  and  put  up  her  disengaged 
hand  to  brush  the  wrinkles  from  his  foreliead. 

^  If  you  cannot  tell  me,  Philip,  perhaps  I  can  tell  you. 
I  am  not  a  child,  and  I  know  many  things  that  children 
cannot  know.  I  would  not  have  spoken  to  you  of  Nath- 
alie's life,  but  as  you  have  heard  something — and  as  you 
are  to  be  my  husband,  from  whom  I  shall  have  no  secrets 
— I  will  discuss  it  with  you.  For  a  long  time  Nathalie 
lived  with  Mr.  Melbourg  as  his  mistress.  That  was 
wrong — wrong  not  only  for  her,  but  for  him.  Now  they 
are  to  renew  the  union  under  the  blessing  of  God.  That 
is  right.  Whatever  the  world  may  say,  I  feel  sure  that 
it  is  right." 

He  shook  his  head  doubtfully. 

"  It  pained  me  to  see  you  embrace  her,"  he  said, 
•*when  I  did  not  think  you  knew.  It  pains  me  still 
more  after  what  you  tell  me." 

"  Why  ?"  she  asked,  again.  "  She  is  one  of  the  sweetest 
little  women  I  have  ever  known.  She  came  here  before 
the  strike  and  went  to  work  in  the  mill.  Her  room  was 
opposite  mine  in  the  lodging-house.  When  the  people 
left  their  work  I  assigned  her  to  many  positions  of 
trust,  and  she  never  failed  mc.  She  told  me  her 
story,  almost  of  her  own  accord.  Her  life  as  a  dress- 
maker's apprentice  in  the  Bowery,  with  no  one  to  take 
an  interest  in  her  education  or  morals  ;  her  evenings 
spent  at  the  cafe  concerts  ;  her  meeting  with  Mr.  Mel- 
bourg, and  her  speedy  installation  into  a  suite  of  rooms 
at  his  expense.  She  also  told  me  of  her  regret  at  the 
false  step  she  had  made,  and  gare  me  her  solemn  promise 
to  reform.  That  promise  I  hare  not  the  least  doubt  she 
has  fulfilled.  Now.  when  the  man  who  is  responsible 
for  her  fall  offers  to  retrieve  his  error,  who  shall  prevent 
him  ?     Not  I ;  nor,  1  think,  you." 


"  WHATEVER  THE  WORLD  MAT  iAT."        855 

There  was  a  charm  in  hearing  her  talk  thus  to  him, 
iiough  he  could  not  wholly  agree  with  her  conclusions, 
i'n  this  ante-nuptial  confidence  he  seemed  to  feel  surer  of 
the  more  complete  union  she  had  promised. 

"  Let  Ralph  marry  her,  if  he  chooses,"  said  he, "  though 
how  happiness  can  come  of  it  is  more  than  I  can  under- 
stand. My  objection  was  not  so  much  as  to  what  they 
might  or  might  not  do,  as  to  your  receiving  such  a  girl 
on  terms  of  intimate  friendship.  My  wife  " — he  spoke 
the  word  proudly — "  cannot  associate  with  women  whose 
names  have  been  soiled  as  openly  as  has  Nathalie's." 

She  felt  a  thrill  go  through  her  beingas  he  spoke  of  her 
as  his  "  wife."  That  sweet  indefinite  charm  that  only  first 
love  can  bring  !  Where  in  all  the  gifts  of  the  bountiful 
Creator  can  be  found  its  equal  ? 

"Your  wife,"  she  answered,  "will  never,  so  far  as  her 
ability  goes,  be  found  unworthy  of  you.  But  as  long  as 
you  can  meet  Ralph  with  the  cordial  grasp  of  the  hand 
that  you  gave  him  to-night,  I  can  meet  Nathalie  with  no 
less  affection.  They  have  sinned  equally,  let  us  say,  for 
the  sake  of  argument ;  though  in  my  heart  I  believe  her 
Jhe  more  innocent  of  the  two.  Both  have  repented. 
Clear  your  mind,  Philip,  of  the  hard  injustice  that  would 
give  every  chance  to  the  man  and  none  to  the  woman." 

Thus  talking  they  approached  the  humble  lodgings 
which  the  heiress  of  millions  still  insisted  on  making  her 
aome.  She  stopped  at  the  outer  entrance  to  say  good- 
night, and  marked  the  look  of  surprise  that  he  gave  her 

"  We  are  lovers  now,  dear,"  in  a  low  voice.  "  The 
privileges  we  took  when  we  were  talking  on  business 
matters  can  no  longer  be  claimed.  The  hour  is  too  late 
for  a  visitor  of  your  description  to  enter  my  door." 

"  How  long  will  it  be  before  1  can  not  only  enter  bu*^ 
remain  ?" 


SPEAKING   or   ELLEN. 

**  That  lies  with  yourself,"  she  smiled.  "  Have  you  for- 
gotten ?  We  are  to  own  a  controlling  interest  in  the 
Riverfall  mills  before  we  can  own  each  other," 

"  I  shall  take  the  early  train  in  the  morning,"  he  said, 
"and  lay  my  plans  at  once.  If  there  is  not  enough  of 
the  stock  offered  in  the  market  for  our  purpose  I  may 
buy  up  the  holdings  of  some  large  owner  at  a  fair  price. 
This  explosion  to-night,"  he  added,  thoughtfully,  "will 
probably  shake  the  price  of  the  stock  almost  as  much  as 
it  did  the  real  estate  of  Riverfall." 

"Go,"  she  said,  tenderly,  "and  God  be  with  you!  I 
have  much  to  do  to-morrow.  I  must  prepare  a  manifesto 
declaring  my  detestation  of  the  act  of  this  evening,  and 
my  belief  that  it  could  have  been  done  by  no  friend  of 
our  movement.  I  shall  also  arrange  to  hold  a  public 
meeting,  where  similar  declarations  will  be  made.  I  un- 
derstand that  Agent  Baker  has  begun  already  to  issue 
new  eviction  notices.  If  you  can  secure  control  before 
he  executes  them  it  will  save  much  suffering.  If  not,  it 
is  a  great  consolation  to  know  that  I  have  the  means  to 
do  so  much.  What  a  pleasure  it  is  to  help  people  who  are 
in  want  !  Those  whose  only  anxiety  is  to  pile  millions 
on  millions  through  a  long  life  can  have  little  to  soothe 
their  latest  hours.  And  yet,  what  miracles  they  might 
accomplish  if  they  only  would  !" 

They  parted  reluctantly,  and  Westland  walked  slowly 
back  to  the  Riverfall  House,  where  he  learned  that  the 
friends  he  had  left  there  were  still  occupying  the  parlor. 
Perhaps  they  should  have  been  more  saddened  than 
they  were  at  the  loss  that  had  befallen  the  Great  Central 
Corporation,  but  they  were  actually  holding  a  musicale, 
•and  seemed  to  be  enjoying  themselves  very  well.  As 
Westland  paused  outside  the  door,  all  four  were  singing 
io  an  accompaniment  played  by  Edna  on  her  guitar,  aod 


\ 


257 

pleasant  indeed  was  the  melody  made  by  the  fresh 
young  voices. 

He  did  not  like  to  disturb  them,  and  he  went  out  on 
the  piazza  to  wait  until  their  song  was  finished. 

As  he  sat  there  in  the  shadow,  Ralph  came  out  with 
Nathalie,  and  walked  away  toward  the  girl's  lodgings. 
He  wondered  why  Mayfield  lingered  inside,  for  he  knew 
his  voice  had  mingled  with  the  others.  Half  an  hour 
more  elapsed  before  he  appeared,  and  something  in  his 
manner  set  Westland's  thoughts  into  a  new  channel.  He 
turned  the  matter  over  in  his  mind  for  awhile,  and  then 
began  to  feel  sure  that  he  had  made  a  discovery, 

Edna  was  alone  in  the  parlor  when  he  entered,  and  so 
preoccupied  with  her  thoughts  that  she  did  not  notice 
his  presence  till  he  stood  close  to  her.  When  he  took 
her  hand  in  his  and  told  her  what  he  suspected,  the 
tears  rushed  to  her  sightless  eyes.  But  when  he  left  her 
that  night  she  had  a  smile  brighter  than  he  had  ever 
seen  upon  her  face — a  smile  of  ineffable  peace  that  fol- 
lowed him  like  a  sunbeam  as  he  went  to  his  lonely  cham- 
ber. 


CHAPTER   XXIL 

VERY   MUCH    LIKE   ANARCHT- 

Chairman  Hunt,  with  his  teeth  still  chattering,  fowrtd 
the  Governor  at  his  residence  at  a  late  hour  that  night, 
and  induced  him  to  issue  orders  that  a  detachment  of 
militia  should  proceed  immediately  to  Riverfall.  The 
news  of  the  demolition  of  Mill  No.  i  had  been  flashed 
across  the  wire,  and  was  common  talk  at  the  capital  be« 


258  SPEAKIlfO  OF  BLLESr. 

fore  he  arrived.     The  Governor  had  heard  of  it  and  was^ 

consequently,  prepared  to  act  without  delay.  Directions 
were  sent  to  Colonel  Kempton,  who  commanded  the 
Second  Regiment,  to  take  five  of  his  companies  to  the 
scene  of  the  disaster  as  soon  as  he  could  get  them  there 
— his  subsequent  acts  to  be  governed  by  his  own  judg- 
ment, under  the  general  direction  of  the  town  officials. 

When  Chairman  Hunt  had  finished  his  business  it  was 
past  the  hour  for  the  last  train  to  leave  in  the  direction 
of  the  village  over  the  destinies  of  which  he  was  sup- 
posed to  preside.  Even  had  it  not  been,  it  is  unlikely 
that  he  would  have  ventured  to  go  home  without  a  guard. 
His  mind  was  full  of  unpleasant  misgivings.  He  wished 
heartily  that  he  had  never  accepted  the  bribes  of  the 
coterie  under  whose  influence  he  had  exasperated  the 
peaceful  citizens  who  elected  him  to  office.  He  retired 
to  a  hotel  and  dreamed  all  night  of  fleeing  before  mobs 
who  sought  his  life,  being  blown  to  atoms  by  explosives, 
and  finding  himself  in  other  similar  dreadful  situations. 
Very  early  the  next  morning  he  repaired  to  the  railroad 
station,  where  he  found  the  militia  embarking  on  a 
special  train  ;  and,  making  himself  known  to  the  offi- 
cers, he  was  given  a  place  among  them. 

It  was  a  cold,  crisp  day  and,  much  as  ;he  "holiday 
soldiers"  liked  the  prospect  of  a  little  excursion,  they 
wrapped  themselves  in  their  heavy  overcoats,  and  de« 
bated  the  probabilities  of  freezing  in  the  tents  that  they 
were  to  pitch  on  Riverfall  Common.  For  they  soon 
learned  from  Chairman  Hunt  that  every  mill — and  these 
constituted  the  only  unoccupied  buildings  in  the  town^ 
was  believed  to  be  undermined  with  dynamite  bombs, 
connected  in  some  secret  manner  with  the  hiding  places 
of  conspirators,  who  would  rather  enjoy  pulling  the 
String  on  the  least  provocation.     It  was  one  thing  to 


**VERY    MUCH    LIKE    ANARCHT."  350 

charge  bayonets  on  an  unarmed  crowd,  and  quite 
another  to  fight  against  an  unseen  foe  of  the  potency 
usually  ascribed  to  djmamite.  Some  of  the  younger 
members  of  the  companies  wished  they  had  not  been  so 
fast  in  responding  to  the  calls  of  their  captains.  A  little 
iudicious  illness  might  have  been  worked  into  an  excuse, 
and  perhaps  have  prevented  serious  consequences. 

Colonel  Kempton  was  not  at  all  the  same  kind  of  man 
as  Colonel  Caswell.  While  both  were  good  soldiers,  the 
former  hadan  enlarged  idea  of  what  constituted  discipline, 
and  could  never,  even  to  save  life,  have  imitated  the 
action  of  his  predecessor  in  offering  his  quarters  to 
Ellen.  It  was  well  for  the  people  of  Riverfall  that  he 
had  been  sent  on  the  second  errand  instead  of  the  first, 
if  he  were  to  come  there  at  all.  Chairman  Hunt  gave 
him  such  an  account  of  the  ferocious  character  of  the 
men  with  whom  he  would  have  to  deal  that  he  sent  an 
order  through  the  train  to  have  every  musket  loaded 
with  ball.  So  well  was  this  direction  executed  that, 
before  they  reached  their  destination,  several  of  the  mil- 
itiamen managed  to  put  holes  through  the  roofs  of  the 
cars  in  which  they  rode.  And  one  of  them  had  even  suc- 
ceeded in  blowing  off  a  thumb. 

News  of  the  expected  arrival  of  the  train  had  reached 
Agent  Baker,  and  he  was  at  the  station  pacing  up  and 
down  like  a  caged  tiger  when  it  rolled  in.  As  soon  as 
Colonel  Kempton  could  give  a  few  general  directions  to 
his  officers  he  accompanied  Messrs.  Baker  and  Hunt  to 
the  Agency.  The  fright  of  the  town's  chief  official  had 
bee;",  growing  more  pronounced  as  he  approached  River- 
fall,  and  as  he  alighted  from  the  train  his  pallor  attracted 
sufficient  attention  from  the  few  spectators  present  to 
provoke  a  shout  of  ridicule.  He  was  an  insignificant- 
looking  mac  in  size,  and  between  Agent  Baker  and  Col- 


SPEAEmO  OF  ELLEH. 

onel  Kempton — both  of  whom  were  of  goodly  proportioiit 
— he  looked  more  like  a  monkey  dressed  up  for  exhibition 
purposes  than  anything  else.  Somebody  called  out, 
"  Look  at  the  coward  !"  upon  which  he  clung  in  desper- 
ate fear  to  the  colonel's  coat-tails,  and  besought  that 
functionary  to  shoot  the  offender  on  the  spot.  The  mil- 
itia commander  was  inwardly  disgusted  at  this  craven 
act,  but  he  concealed  his  repugnance  as  well  as  he  was 
able.  The  instructions  which  he  bore  bade  him  act 
under  the  direction  of  the  town  authorities,  and  he  was 
too  good  a  soldier  to  be  carried  away  by  personal  feel- 
ing at  such  a  time. 

As  the  trio  ascended  the  street  in  the  direction  of  the 
Agency,  a  parcel  of  small  boys  dogged  their  steps  at  a 
safe  distance,  shouting  uncomplimentary   allusions  at 
the  obnoxious  chairman. 
"Oh,  look  at  little  Hunt!" 

"  He's  been  aff  ter  git  the  sogers  ter  pertect  *itn  !** 
"  Hi !     Johnny  !     D'ye  moind  th'  ghost?" 
"  Whatashmall  bit  of  mate  fersuch  a  big  sandwich  .'*' 
An  orderly  of  the  colonel's,  who  followed  in  his  rear, 
turned  several  times  and  made  a  feint  of  attacking  the 
lads,  upon  which  they  started  to  run  away;  but,  per- 
ceiving by  the  merry  twinkle  in  his  eyes  that  he  more 
than   half  sympathized    with   them,  they  returned  each 
time   to   their  verbal  assault.     When   the  Agency  was 
reached,  Mr.  Hunt  was  in  a  state  bordering  on  frenzy, 
and  when  the  door  was  closed  upon  the  annoying  rab- 
ble he  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead,  thourh 
the  thermometer  on  the  piazza  registered   28**  at  that 
identical  moment. 

Colonel  Kempton  listened  attentively  to  all  that  Agent 
Baker  had  to  say,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  it.  He 
said  there  was  no  doubt  that  the  situation  was  critt  <^ 


"VKBY    MUCH    LIKE    ANABOHT.'*  261 

He  showed  the  anonymous  letter  which  he  received  on 
the   previous   evening,  and   the  colonel   read  it  with  a 

grave  face. 

"You  need  a  few  of  Pinkerton's  men,  as  well  as  some 
»f  the  Slate  detectives,"  he  said.     "Soldiers  in  uniform 

nnot  ferret  out  such  things  as  these.  But  there  is 
another  thing  you  must  do  without  delay.  Those  evic- 
^on  notices  must  come  down," 

Agent  Baker  uttered  a  fearful  oath. 

"  I  would  see  every  mill  in  Riverfall  blown  to  hell  be- 
fore I  would  do  that  !"  he  cried.  "  If  I  had  wanted  to 
surrender  to  the  strikers  I  need  never  have  sent  for  you. 
The  notices  are  posted,  and,  by  God,  they  shall  stay 
posted,  with  another  five  hundred  added  before  night- 
fall !" 

Colonel  Kempton  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  You  know  your  own  business,"  said  he.  **  If,  as 
that  note  intimates,  all  of  these  mills  are  mined,  the 
conspirators  may  decide  to  blow  them  up  at  once,  if 
they  are  excited  too  much.  My  plan  would  be  to  tem- 
porize  with  an  enemy  of  that  description  for  the  pr--sent, 
in  order  to  crush  him  more  effectually  at  a  later  day. ' 

As  Baker  was  about  to  reply  a  servant  came  to  say 
that  there  was  a  man  in  the  kitchen  who  wished  to  see 
him  without  delay.  In  a  few  minutes  he  returned  with 
the  man,  who  proved  to  be  none  other  than  Detective 
Murray,  of  Pinkerton's,  whose  reputation,  it  is  needless 
lo  say,  is  inferior  to  none  on  that  remarkable  force. 

"  I  came  to  Cutlerville  and  rode  over  with  two  of  my 
men,"  he  explained,  "so  as  not  to  attract  attention. 
Several  others  have  gone  to  Hosmer  and  will  walk  from 

there." 

Mr.  Baker  told  his  story  again,  and  when   i:  was  6r- 


963  SPEAKING   OF   EH^BS. 

5shed,  though  he  had  heard  nothing  that  Colonel  Kemp- 
ton  said,  Murray  came  to  the  same  conclusion. 

"You  must  take  down  those  notices,"  he  said,  "as 
soon  as  you  can  send  a  man  around  to  do  it." 

"  Never  !"  cried  Mr.  Baker. 

"  But  you  must  !  We  need  time,  above  all  things.  To 
provoke  a  dynamiter  is  to  invite  a  wanton  destruction 
of  property.  Give  us  a  chance  to  catch  the  rascals,  and 
after  that  you  can  tack  up  notices  at  your  leisure.  You 
will  find  but  few  persons  in  the  plot.  It  is  not  the  sort 
of  scheme  that  a  big  assembly  takes  up.  These  mills 
cost  money,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  save  them." 

Agent  Baker  clenched  his  fists. 

"  They  can  be  saved,  if  the  colonel  will  but  follow  my 
directions,"  he  said.  "  There  is  not  a  dwelling  within 
fifty  rods  of  the  yards.  March  your  men  down  the  street 
and  surround  the  mill  property  on  all  sides  with  a  strong 
guard.  Then  extend  your  lines  outward,  in  the  direction 
of  the  corporation  houses,  from  which  the  exploding  ap- 
paratus would  undoubtedly  be  worked.  Get  a  warrant 
and  thoroughly  search  all  of  the  premises  nearest  the 
mills.  Act  as  if  you  mean  business  and,  my  word  for 
it,  you  will  have  this  thing  uncovered  before  the  sun 
sets." 

Detective  Murray  smiled  at  the  impetuosity  of  the 
agent. 

"  That  might  work,  and  again  it  might  not,"  said  he, 
*'  l^f  dynamite  has  really  been  placed  under  the  other 
mills,  and  is  to  be  exploded  with  an  electrical  apparatus, 
it  is  more  likely  to  be  connected  with  some  house  a  mile 
away  than  with  one  nearer.  This  strike  has  been  going 
on  for  weeks,  and  the  plotters  have  had  every  chance. 
We  must  pare  their  claws  by  a  little  pretended  concilia« 


•VIBT   MirOH   ISSM   AJfAHOHT.*  168 

tVon,  T  tell    you,  before  we  can  hope  to  get  them  into 

our  net." 

Agent  Baker  had  just  begun  to  say,  "They  shall 
never — "  when  another  visitor  was  announced.  It  was 
President  Erastus  Stebbins,  who  had  read  an  account  of 
the  trouble  in  the  newspaper,  and  taken  the  first  train 
from  his  home  for  Riverfall.  He  looked  much  worried, 
and  listened  carefully  to  a  report  of  the  conversation 
that  has  just  been  recorded. 

"  Take  down  the  notices  ?"  he  repeated,  when  Deteo 
tive  Murray  reiterated  his  advice.  *'  Certainly  we  will 
take  them  down  !  Do  you  think,"  he  added,  addressing; 
Mr.  Baker,  "that  we  want  to  lose  three  or  four  million; 
dollars  just  to  gratify  a  little  pride?  The  notices  wili 
come  down  within  two  hours,  if  I  have  to  go  and  pull 
them  down  myself  !" 

Mr.  Baker  rose  and  struck  his  hand  heavily  upon  the 
table. 

"  Then,  sir,  you  will  have  to  get  a  new  agent !"  he 
said,  angrily.  "  I  would  never  serve  a  corporation  that 
would  countenance  such  a  dastardly  deed  !" 

"Confound  it  all!"  cried  the  president,  "do  you 
know  what  our  stock  was  selling  at  before  the  opening 
in  New  York  this  morning  ?  Two  hundred  and  ninety, 
sir,  and  falling  !  Let  another  mill  blow  up,  and  it  will 
not  bring  a  dollar  a  bushel  !  I've  got  an  interest  in 
this  thing,  sir  !  Nine-tenths  of  all  I  am  worth  is  in- 
vested here  !  Do  you  imagine  I  am  going  to  beggar 
myself  that  you  may  gratify  your  temper  ?  No,  sir  ! 
The  notices  will  come  down,  sir  !  Do  you  hear  me  ? 
They — will — come — down  !" 

At  the  end  of  each  of  his  sentences  the  excited  pres- 
ident shook  his  fist  in  the  direction  of  Mr.  Baker.  He 
did  this  merely  to  emphasize  his  remarks,  however,  and 


264  sPEAsma  of  ellen. 

with  no  belligerent  intention.  But  the  agen  #a,a  as 
determined  as  his  superior.  Taking  a  piece  /i  paper 
from  a  drawer,  he  wrote  a  hasty  resignation,  which  Mr. 
Stebbins  accepted  without  more  ado.  Then  Mr.  Bakei 
took  himself  out  of  the  room  in  a  huff,  and  slammed  the 
door  after  him. 

"I  shall  run  this  thing  myself,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr, 
Stebbins,  to  the  others,  "  until  the  directors  can  be  got 
together  again.  Give  me  the  best  advice  you  have,  and 
I  will  follow  it.  That  pig-headed  donkey  would  have 
ruined  everything  in  a  day  more." 

Detective  Murray  looked  gratified. 

"  Take  down  the  notices,  for  the  first  thSng,"  he  said. 

"  That  is  also  your  advice  ?"  said  the  president,  to 
Colonel  Kempton. 

"Certainly." 

Mr.  Stebbins  called  a  servant,  and  dispatched  him  fof 
the  constable  who  had  served  the  papers. 

*'  Now,"  said  the  detective,  "  have  you  a  suspicion  of 
any  one  ?" 

"  Not  really  a  suspicion,"  replied  Mr.  Stebbins.  "  That 
Baker  has  excited  me  so,  I  hardly  know  anything."  He 
stopped  to  take  breath.  "  There  is  a  fellow  who  re- 
fused to  obey  the  first  notice,  and  held  his  tenement 
after  the  others  left.  The  constable  will  know  whom  I 
mean.  He  has  been  described  to  me  as  a  dangerous 
man.  You  might  look  him  up.  We  must  get  out  of 
this  thing  the  best  way  we  can."  He  paused  again  for 
breath.  "  I  thought  it  cold  when  I  came  out  this  morn- 
ing, but  I  begin  to  believe  it  is  the  hottest  day  I  ever 
saw  !" 

Again  the  door-bell  sounded,  and  shortly  afterwards 
Ellen  and  Hugh  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  Presi- 
dent Stebbins  and  the  officers  of  the  law.     The  beauty 


*VBRY   MUCH    LIKE   ASABCBYJ*  265 

rtnd  9ti4te*.ness  of  the  young  "  mill-girl,"  who  was 
clad  In  a  ptain,  dark  dress,  entirely  devoid  of  ornament, 
impvessed  all  three  of  the  gentlemen,  though  in  different 
proportions.  Mr.  Stebbins  had  met  her  before,  and  he 
introduced  her  to  the  others.  Both  of  the  visitors  ao 
cepted  chairs,  and  the  president  addressed  his  first  in- 
quiries to  Mayfield. 

*'  Is  there  anything  you  wish  to  say  to  me  in  private, 
or  would  you  as  lief  these  gentlemen  were  present  ?  I 
would  like  them  to  hear  it,  if  your  errand  relates  to  the 
troubles  between  the  corporation  and  its  late  employes." 

"  Ellen  will  answer  you,"  said  Hugh,  quietly. 

She  rose  and  spoke  with  perfect  case  and  fluency. 

"  What  I  came  to  speak  about,  Mr.  Stebbins,  does  not, 
I  believe,  refer  to  any  one  of  your  ex-employes,  but  to 
that  of  which  some  enemy  of  their  cause  has  led  them  to 
be  unjustly  suspected.  I  allude  to  the  destruction  of  the 
mill  last  evening.  The  directors  and  stockholders  of  the 
corporation  cannot  regret  that  occurrence  more  sincerely 
than  I.  My  object  in  coming  here  is  to  offer  you  my  aid, 
representing  the  entire  body  of  our  people,  in  any  way 
you  may  suggest,  to  ferret  out  the  perpetrator  of  the 
outrage." 

"  Will  you  heive  every  door  opened  to  us  without  a 
warrant  !"  asked  the  president,  cautiously. 

"  Every  one  T"  she  replied,  with  emphasis.  "  And  the 
occupant  of  any  room  who  refuses  you  the  fullest  op- 
portunity to  search  his  premises — who  does  not  even 
render  you  aid  in  every  possible  manner — shall  be  de- 
nounced in  the  assembly  as  unworthy  of  further  confi- 
dence. You  will  not  find  the  author  of  this  deed  in  my 
ranks,  sir.  I  have  preached  forbearance  too  earnestly 
to  have  my  words  bring  forth  such  fruit  as  this." 

Detective  Murray  took  up  the  anonymous  letter  which 


8PEASXMO   OF    mAj^. 

Agent  BaKer  had  received,  and  which  had  been  ieft  bf 

him  on  the  table  when  he  took  his  hasty  departure. 

*'  Do  you  know  that  handwriting?"  he  asked  her. 

A  sad  look  came  into  Ellen's  face  as  she  read  the  note. 

"  I  do  not,"  she  replied.  "  I  cannot  conceive  how  such 
an  infamous  proposition  could  emanate  from  any  sane 
person.     It  is  simply  horrible." 

The  constable  who  had  been  sent  for  arrived  at  this 
juncture,  and  joined  the  group.  He  showed  surprise 
when  told  that  the  eviction  notices  were  to  come  down, 
but  assented  without  comment.  The  oftener  the  notices 
went  up  and  came  down  again  the  better  for  his  fees. 
He  never  quarrelled  with  business. 

"  What  was  the  name  of  that  man  who  refused  to 
obey  the  last  notice  ?"  asked  Mr.  Stebbins.  "  The  one 
who  was  said  to  be  fortified  in  his  room  ?" 

"  William  Converse,"  answered  the  constable. 

"  Do  you  know  him  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Stebbins  of  Ellen. 

"  Yes  ;  but  he  is  not  under  my  jurisdiction.  When  he 
destroyed  the  notices  sent  out  by  Mr.  Westland  I  re- 
fused to  tolerate  the  act,  and  we  parted." 

Detective  Murray  went  to  the  window  and  looked  out. 
He  was  apparently  consulting  the  weather  signs. 

"  I  hope  it  will  not  be  inconvenient  for  you  and  Mr. 
Mayfield  to  remain  here  an  hour  or  two,"  he  said,  return^ 
ing.  "  I  am  an  officer  of  the  law,  and  I  am  going  to 
search  the  house  of  this  man  Converse.  While  I  have 
the  most  perfect  confidence — would  even  be  willing  to 
risk  my  reputation — that  neither  of  you  are  concerned 
in  this  matter,  it  is  my  opinion  that  you  had  best  stay 
here  until  my  return.  You  will  be  under  no  restraint, 
unless  you  should  happen  to  decide  to  leave,  in  which 
case  my  assistants,  who  arc  close  at  hand,  would  prob- 


**T130r   MUGS    UX.R   AUABOHT."  8(57 

ably  prevent  you.  Colonel,  if  you  will  favor  me  witn 
your  company  ?" 

President  Stebbins  was  amazed  at  the  cool  way  in 
which  the  detective  made  this  announcement,  but  he 
said  as  there  was  no  necessity  for  his  presence  at  the 
Agency,  he  would  also  go  to  the  village,  and  he  followed 
with  the  constable.  When  they  had  left  the  house, 
Hugh  remarked  to  Ellen,  in  a  bitter  tone  : 

**  Do  you  realize  that  we  are  under  arrest.?" 

"Yes,"  she  smiled. 

"  And  you  do  not  care  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  No.  The  arrest  of  an  innocent  person  carries  with 
it  no  disgrace.  I  only  hope  they  will  unearth  the  par- 
ties who  blew  up  the  mill." 

Hugh  looked  at  her  with  a  troubled  face. 

"Supposing  it  should  be  Converse.?" 

She  started  at  that,  but  said  if  it  were  he  must  pay 
the  penalty. 

"If  you  knew  it  were  he,"  cried  Hugh,  "would  you 
help  these  hounds  of  the  law  to  apprehend  him  ?  This 
man,  whose  life  has  been  a  curse  to  him  ever  since  he 
saw  the  first  cloudy  day  of  existence  !  Would  you  not 
warn  and  help  him  to  escape?  Or,  if  taken,  would  you 
not  defend  him  ?" 

**  No,  I  would  not  !" 

"  /  would  !"  said  Hugh.  «  I  would  aid  him  to  the  last 
drop  of  my  blood  !" 

She  trembled.  He  had  never  spoken  to  her  like  this 
before. 

"  Do  you  think  it  was  he  ?"  she  asked. 

« I  fear  it." 

She  paced  the  room  for  several  minutes  in  silence. 

**  Do  you  recall  that  last  night  when  Converse  and  I 


368  8PBAKIKO    OF    BLUBT. 

remained  after  the  assembly  ?    The  night  he  adv**cate^ 
meeting    force   with  force — and    I    listened — and  how 
much  it  disturbed  me?" 

He  assented. 

"  Hugh,  at  that  time  I  escaped  a  great  danger.  A  lit- 
tle more  and  I  might  have  fallen  into  the  snare.  You 
are  passing  through  the  same  experience.  Be  careful 
you  are  not  led  too  far  !" 

The  cloud  did  not  lift  from  his  thoughtful  face. 

"There  is  a  limit  to  endurance,"  he  said,  gloomily. 
**  I  am  sorry — yes,  I  am  sure  I  am  sorry — that  the  mill 
was  destroyed.  I  am  equally  sure  I  would  save  the  man 
who  did  it,  if  I  could  get  between  him  and  the  law. 
When  we  leave  here  I  shall  try  my  best  to  discover  him, 
and  if  I  am  successful,  I  will  assist  his  escape  if  I  can. 
They  would  sentence  him  to  long  years  in  prison — to 
the  gibbet,  for  all  I  know.  This  punishment  he  would 
bear  for  his  zeal  in  our  behalf,  for  his  attempt  to  cripple 
our  enemies.  Oh,  Ellen,  do  you  really  hope  they  will 
find  him,  when  you  know  how  terrible  must  be  his 
fate  ?" 

She  felt  the  necessity  of  firmness,  though  her  woman's 
heart  quaked  within  her. 

"Yes,"  she  said. 

"  Even  if  it  should  be  Converse  ?** 

"Yes,  Hugh.     Even  if  it  werc^jww/* 

He  leaned  back  in  his  chair. 

"  Or  Philip  Westland  ?"  he  said,  gutterally. 

She  placed  a  hand  over  her  left  breast,  and  grew 
whiter. 

"  Philip  could  not  do  such  a  thing,"  she  said,  proudly. 

"  Nor  could  I,"  he  responded.  "  And  yet  you  men« 
tioned  me.'* 


"tert  much  like  anarchy." 

The  theme  was  becoming  too  painful  to  continue,  and 
they  dropped  it  b)--  common  consent.  Little  more  was 
said  until  the  return  of  President  Stebbins  and  Detec- 
tive Murray. 

"  I  shall  have  to  keep  you  under  surveillance  a  while 
ionger,  I  am  sorry  to  say,"  said  the  officer,  addressing 
Hugh.  "You  may  take  your  choice  between  this  house 
and  the  jailor's  parlor.  All  we  want  is  to  have  you 
handy."  Then,  turning  to  Ellen,  he  added,  "  You  are  at 
liberty,  madam,  and  I  am  very  sorry  if  you  have  been 
♦ncommoded  by  the  delay." 

Mayfield  looked  like  a  thunder-cloud  about  to  burst. 
"  I  demand  to  know  on  what  charge  you  propose  to 
hold  me  !" 

"  Anything  you  like  to  call  it,"  responded  the  detec- 
tive, cheerily.  "  Perhaps  we  may  make  it  more  definite 
In  the  morning,  and  perhaps  by  that  time  we  may  be 
veady  to  let  you  go.  It  won't  do  any  good  to  get  riled. 
Which  is  it,  here  or  the  jail  ?" 

Hugh  curbed  his  indignation  as  well  as  he  could,  out 
of  regard  to  the  pleading  look  that  Ellen  gave  him. 

"The  jail,  by  all  means  !"  he  said.  "  If  I  am  to  be  a 
prisoner,  keep  me  where  prisoners  are  kept.  I  have 
lived  an  honest  life  for  twenty-four  years.  I  fear  to 
tell  no  man  any  act  I  have  committed.  Ellen,  you  will 
tell  the  people  that  he  brings  no  charge  against  me. 
I  am  ready,  sir." 

He  walked  off  with  the  officer,  and  Ellen  went  to  her 
home.  Two  of  the  detectives  had  been  hidden  in  the 
room  next  to  that  which  Ralph  and  Ellen  occupied  at 
the  Agency,  and  had  overheard  every  word  of  their  con- 
versation. On  hearing  their  report,  Mr.  Murray  had 
reached  the  decision  that  it  would  be  wise  to  lock  Hugh 
"up  until  he  was  through  with  the  searching  process. 


i70  SFEAKSSQ   07   ELLEN. 

They  had  found  nothing  in  the  room  occupied  by 
Converse.  According  to  instructions,  the  constable 
went  ahead  and  removed  the  notice  from  the  doon 
Upon  hearing  the  noise,  the  Englishman  came  out  to 
inquire  the  cause,  and  when  he  learned  it  he  grinned 
with  satisfaction.  Detective  Murray  and  an  assistant 
came  upon  him  suddenly,  and  took  him  by  the  shoulders. 

"  We  are  going  to  search  these  premises  for  unlawful 
articles,"  said  the  detective,  "  and  you  may  as  well  sub- 
mit quietly." 

"  Search  all  you  like,"  was  the  unexpected  reply,  "  and 
if  you  want  any  help  call  on  me." 

They  inspected  the  room,  and  after  that  the  entire 
building,  without  avail.  When  they  came  away,  Con- 
verse was  grinning  more  frightfully  than  when  they 
arrived. 

"  Sorry  to  have  troubled  you,"  said  Mr.  Murray,  lacon- 
ically. 

"  Don't  mention  it,"  grinned  Converse.  "  Come  again. 
Come  often.     I  shall  always  be  glad  to  see  you." 

His  grin  seemed  to  follow  them  to  the  street,  and  the 
last  they  saw  of  him  he  stood  in  his  doorway,  with  his 
mouth  stretched  sardonically. 

In  an  hour  every  person  in  Riverfall  knew  that  Hugh 
was  under  arrest,  but  Ellen's  influence  prevented  any 
demonstration.  The  soldiers  were  placed  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  mills  and  other  points  of  interest.  At  two  o'clock 
every  eviction  notice  was  down,  to  the  general  joy,  and 
the  danger  of  another  explosion  was  believed  to  be  tem- 
porarily past.  But  later  in  the  afternoon  a  boy  left  a 
note  for  President  Stebbins  that  made  that  gentleman 
seek  out  Detective  Murray  with  all  speed.  This  is  what 
was  in  the  message  : 


WHBEE   WAS   NATHALimT  371 

•*  If  Hugh  Mayfield  is  not  set  free  before  the  clock 
strikes  seven,  another  of  your  mills  will  go  into  the  air. 
A  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient.  Justice." 

A  comparison  of  the  missive  with  the  one  previously 
received  showed  that  it  was  in  the  same  handwriting. 

"  We  must  let  him  out,"  said  Mr.  Murray,  grinding  his 
teeth,"  but  we  will  have  him  shadowed  every  second. 
Damn  it,  Mr.  Stebbins,  this  looks  very  much  Uk« 
anarchy  !" 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

WHERE      WAS     NATHALIE? 

The  dreaded  hour  of  seven  passed,  and  no  other  mill 
in  Riverfall  was  shattered.  It  was  evident  that  the  dyna- 
miters  were  well  informed  of  what  was  going  on.  Hugh 
Mayfield,  when  released  from  prison— where,  in  spite  of 
his  request  to  be  placed  in  a  cell,  he  had  only  been 
allowed  to  occupy  the  jailor's  sitting-room— exhibited 
himself  freely  in  the  village.  The  property-destrovers 
were  evidently  men  of  their  word.  They  could  be  d'ealt 
with  on  an  understood  basis.  The  thing  that  most 
annoyed  President  Stebbins  was  that  he  could  never 
tell  what  their  next  demand  might  be.  True,  the 
volcano,  for  the  moment,  was  not  emitting  fire  ;  but  the 
knowledge  that  it  might  do  so  at  the  fancy  of  some  con- 
cealed foe,  and  that  the  possessions  of  the  Great  Central 
Corporation  were  liable  to  be  buried  at  any  time  in  its 
stream  of  lava,  was  not  cheerful,  to  say  the  least. 
The  temporary  needs  of  the  strikers  were  met  by  Ire- 


272  SPEAKING    OF   ELUBH. 

quent  openings  of  Ellen's  plethoric  purse,  and  so  long  as 
the  corporation  houses  could  be  retained  by  them  no 
actual  suffering  was  likely  to  arise.  The  mills  were 
guarded  by  a  cordon  of  military  at  all  hours,  though  for 
what  purpose  it  would  be  difficult  to  say,  since  the  enemy 
they  were  intended  to  combat  was  of  the  invisible  kind, 
and  one  whose  advance  guard  was  already  with  the 
breastworks.  A  dozen  Pinkerton  men  were  scattered 
about  the  village,  but  attracted  no  attention  among  the 
crowd  of  sight-seers  who  flocked  in  on  every  train.  The 
militiamen  shivered  at  night  in  their  tents  on  the  Com- 
mon, and  by  day  as  they  paced  up  and  down  before  the 
deserted  mills. 

Detective  Murray  had  Converse  shadowed  at  all  hours 
by  three  of  his  best  men.  The  Englishman  never  left 
his  room  that  one  of  these  was  not  on  his  trail.  At  the 
same  time  a  minute  examination  of  the  earth  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  mills  was  made  in  the  endeavor  to  discern 
any  disturbance  that  might  indicate  an  underground 
connection.  But,  with  all  these  pains,  nothing  of  value 
was  discovered. 

As  evening  approached.  Detective  Murray  conceived 
a  bold  plan.  Ellen  had  called  a  meeting  of  the  ex-em« 
ployes  in  the  largest  hall  in  the  place.  Murray  pro- 
cured the  requisite  warrant  from  a  local  justice,  and  had 
every  soldier  present  sworn  in  as  a  peace  oflScer.  When 
the  meeting  was  in  progress  three  hundred  militiamen 
surrounded  the  building  in  which  it  was  being  held,  and 
Colonel  Kempton,  walking  into  the  hall,  declared 
every  person  present  under  arrest.  There  was  a  moment 
of  consternation,  followed  by  symptoms  of  an  outbreak, 
and  then  Ellen's  voice  was  heard.  They  would  submit 
to  the  authority  of  the  law,  she  said.  No  force  would  be 
required.     She  bade  the  officer  do  his   dutv.     Colone/ 


WHIBE   WAS  NA.THALIB?  273 

Rempton  replied  that  he  merely  wished  to  prevent  tkiose 
present  from  leaving  until  the  close  of  an  investigation 
that  was  in  progress,  and  advised  all  to  be  at  their  ease. 

Within  half  an  hour  President  Stebbins,  who  was  at 
the  Agency  anxiously  awaiting  the  result  of  this  move, 
received  a  third  letter,  delivered  by  a  small  boy,  who 
was  collared  and  brought  into  his  presence.  The  little 
fellow  said  the  note  had  been  handed  to  him  by  a 
Stranger,  who  had  given  him  twenty-five  cents  to  do  the 
errand.  Though  it  was  evident  that  the  boy  told  the 
truth,  a  detective  who  was  in  the  house  decided  to  detain 
him  while  Mr.  Stebbins  went  as  fast  as  his  legs  would 
carry  him  in  search  of  Colonel  Kemptoa. 

The  note  read  as  follows  : 

*'  It  is  now  half-past  nine  o'  clock.  If  the  persons  held 
In  Riverfall  Hall  are  not  released  at  half-past  ten, 
another  mill  will  go  down  ;  and  so  on — one  each  hour 
—till  all  are  set  free.  Justice." 

On  learning  that  Mr.  Stebbins  wished  to  see  him,  Gol- 
an tl  Kempton  descended  to  the  street,  and  there  read  the 
note.  Detective  Murray,  who  was  close  at  hand,  started 
ofiE  with  the  two  gentlemen,  and  was  also  made  acquainted 
with  its  contents.     He  was  nonplussed. 

"We  have  settled  one  thing,"  said  the  colonel.  "The 
author  of  this  note  is  not  one  of  the  persons  in  the  hall, 
and  every  man  whom  we  have  had  under  special  suspicion 
is  there,  including  Converse." 

Detective  Murray  heard  him,  and  said  h«  waa  not  t» 
sure  about  that. 

'*  But  there  is  ©ne  thing  we  e&n  pr«Te,  Mr.  Stebbins,* 
he  said,  "  if  y»u  are  willing  to  run  the  risk.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  this  anonymous  threatener  is  frightening  ui 
unduly.    It  may  be  that  he  has  no  other  mill  undermined, 


274  8FI1ASINO   OF  ELUOr. 

and  is  unable  to  carry  out  his  promises.  If  we  were  to 
refuse  to  release  these  people  until  after  the  hour  he 
specifies,  we  could  tell  hereafter  how  much  confidence 
to  place  i»  him.  It  might  be  a  costly  piece  of  informa- 
tion, and — mind  you — I  don't  advise  it,  but  I  would  give 
a  good  deal  to  know,  for  all  that." 

President  Stebbins  turned  pale  at  the  suggestion. 

"  Good  Heaven  !"  he  cried,  *'  these  mills  cost  a  quar- 
ter of  a  million  apiece  !  You  must  release  the  people 
in  the  hall  as  soon  as  you  can  get  there.  I  could  never 
take  a  risk  like  that  !  It  would  mean  absolute  ruin  if 
we  were  wrong  ]" 

After  a  little  further  talk  Colonel  Kempton  returned 
to  the  hall,  and  announced  that  all  present  were  free  to 
go  at  their  pleasure.  As  he  did  so  he  glanced  at  Con- 
verse, who  sat  facing  him  in  one  of  the  side  aisles,  and 
saw  the  broad  grin  of  the  morning  repeated  on  his  face. 
It  was  a  grin  of  triumph,  of  victory  won  over  an  enemy, 
and  the  colonel  felt  convinced  beyond  doubt  that  this 
man  knew  the  whole  secret  of  the  plot.  He  lingered, 
the  meeting  being  a  public  one,  and  heard  Ellen  close 
her  remarks  with  these  words  : 

"Yes,  my  friends,  you  have  still  left  the  most  potent 
weapon  for  your  deliverance — the  ballot.  You  have 
only  to  unite,  and  next  Tuesday  a  friend  of  equal  rights 
and  justice  will  be  chosen  to  represent  Riverfall  at  the 
State  House.  What  to  you  are  the  great  parties  of  the 
country,  the  caucuses  of  which  have  already  nominated 
candidates  for  your  suffrages  ?  Which  of  them  has 
dared  to  curb  the  insolence  of  Capital,  or  made  endura- 
ble the  lot  of  Labor  ?  We  worked  in  these  mills  for 
just  enough  to  keep  soul  and  body  together,  and  when 
we  could  bear  it  no  longer,  what  had  they  to  offer  us — « 
bayonet !      Republican   or  Democrat — call  them  wha> 


WHEBB    WAS   NATHAUTB  f  Sift 

you  will — they  are  alike  insensible  to  the  growing  needs 
of  the  people.  Let  us  send  from  Riverfali  a  man  whose 
entire  energies  will  be  devoted  to  our  cause — a  man 
whom  we  know  and  honor,  and  in  whom  we  have  the 
fullest  confidence.  You  all  know  whom  I  mean — Hugh 
JMayfield  !" 

A  shout  arose  at  the  name,  but  Hugh  stopped  it  by  a 
wave  of  his  hand,  as  he  arose  and  stepped  upon  the 
platform. 

"  For  this  kindness  on  the  part  of  the  leader  whom 
we  all  revere  (he  bowed  toward  Ellen),  and  for  your  ap- 
probation, my  friends,  let  me  return  my  thanks.  In 
anything  by  which  I  can  serve  my  associates  I  hope 
never  to  be  found  derelict.  If  I  believed  that  I  could 
do  you  as  much  good  in  the  Legislature  as  you  appear 
to  suppose,  I  would  not  rise,  as  I  now  do,  to  decline  the 
use  of  my  name.  But,  my  comrades,  I  am  only  a  poor 
spinner,  lacking  the  graces  and  accomplishments  indis- 
pensable to  success  in  such  a  position.  My  voice  would 
be  a  very  feeble  one  among  so  many  abler  and  wiser 
men.  You  have  in  your  ranks  another  who — if  his  pro- 
fessions are  to  be  relied  upon — has  your  interests  at 
heart,  and  who  has  ten  times  my  capacity  to  aid  vou  in 
securing  the  legislation  you  seek.  I  wish  therefore  to 
withdraw  my  name,  and  to  substitute  that  of  Philip 
Westland." 

There  were  shouts  of  mingled  approval  and  disap- 
proval, when  Ellen's  voice  was  again  heard. 

"  Mr.  Westland  is  not  a  legal  resident  of  this  State, 
and  is  consequently  ineligible  to  office  here.  Has  any 
one  a  candidate  to  propose  other  than  Mr.  Mayfield  f 
(No  response.)  As  many  as  are  in  favor  of  his  being 
the  nominee  will  say  Aye."  A  shout  arose  that  shook 
th«  ouilding.     "  Those  opposed  will  say  No."    A  dead 


278  ePBAEiNo  OF  BLLrar. 

silence  fell  on  the    assembly.     "  It   is  a  vote.     Hugh 

Mayfieid  is  your  candidate.  See  to  it  that  he  is  elected, 
or  never  again  complain  of  the  unfair  laws  that  now 
govern  you." 

The  meeting  then  adjourned,  and  the  audience  crowded 
around  Hugh  to  congratulate  him  and  to  proffer  their 
support.  He  shook  his  head  doubtfully,  saying  that 
they  must  not  expect  too  much  from  one  so  inexperi- 
enced. Colonel  Kempton  left  the  hall  with  a  feeling  of 
disgust.  If  such  ignorant  men  as  these  were  to  make 
the  laws,  he  thought,  the  country  would  soon  be  unfit 
for  a  gentleman  to  live  in. 

Ralph  Melbourg  went  to  the  meeting  that  night,  and 
looked  all  over  the  throng  in  a  vain  hope  to  find  his 
sweetheart  somewhere  in  its  midst.  When  the  exercises 
began  and  he  made  sure  she  was  not  present,  he  went 
out  and  walked  down  to  her  room  in  the  corporation 
lodging-house.  Her  door  was  locked,  and  at  the  discov- 
ery an  unpleasant  sensation  came  over  him.  He  next 
went  to  the  Riverfall  House,  where  he  found  Edna,  who 
tried  to  entertain  him,  but  found  it  difficult  to  do  so. 
He  wanted  Nathalie,  and  nothing  else  could  fill  her 
place. 

He  strolled  out  after  awhile  and  tried  Nathalie's  door 
again.  Then  he  went  back  to  the  hall  and  found  it  in- 
vested by  soldiers,  who  would  let  no  one  enter  or  depart. 
That  was  a  very  strange  thing,  but  no  stranger  than  his 
sweetheart's  absence.  Where  could  she  have  gone  ? 
He  began  to  get  alarmed. 

He  paced  the  streets,  asking  many  persons  whom  he 
met  whether  they  had  seen  her.     Then  he  went  back  to 
the  hall,  and  saw  the  people  leaving  it  in  a  great  swarm 
Waiting;  near  the  entrance  he  noticed  each  face  as  ii 
passed  him,  for  there  was  still  a  chance  that  she  might 


WHKEK   WAS   NATHAUX?  877 

have  been  inside  and  escaped  his  vision.  When  the  last 
one  had  departed  he  went  in  and  looked  at  the  empty 
seaTs.  A  chill  came  over  him.  He  decided  to  go  and 
ask  Ellen  when  she  had  last  seen  her. 

The  Marchioness  was  at  home,  and  he  heard  a  pleasant 
"Come  in,"  in  response  to  his  knock.  She  was  alone, 
reading  for  the  tenth  time  a  letter  received  from  Philip, 
the  first  real  love-letter  she  had  ever  had.  He  was 
detained  in  the  city  on  the  business  that  took  him  there, 
and  might  have  to  stay  a  day  or  two  longer.  He  said 
every  hour  away  from  her  seemed  like  a  year,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing.  Sensible  business  men  act  very  much 
like  ordinary  people  when  writing  to  their  sweethearts. 

"Good  evening,  Mr.  Melbourg,"  said  Ellen. 

"  Have  you  seen  Nathalie  to-night  ?'*  he  asked,  breath- 
lessly.    "  I  cannot  find  her  anywhere." 

She  smiled  into  his  anxious  eyes.  She  knew  now» 
better  than  ever  before,  how  to  appreciate  his  nervous- 
ness, 

"  Let  us  see  if  I  have  better  luck,"  she  responded. 

Leading  him  into  the  hallway,  she  lifted  the  latch  of 
the  door  opposite  her  own,  and  stepped  into  the  room. 
The  sought  for  girl  came  forward  to  meet  her,  but 
changed  color  at  sight  of  her  lover. 

"Where  have  you  been?"  he  asked,  hurriedly.  "I 
have  hunted  for  you  since  eight  o'clock." 

She  looked  so  distressed  that  Ellen  came  to  the  rescue. 

"  You  missed  quite  an  adventure  by  not  coming  to  the 
meeting,"  she  said.  "  We  were  all  arrested,  and  kept 
under  guard  for  nearly  an  hour." 

"  I — I  meant  to  go,  stammered  the  girl,  **  but  I— I 
fell  asleep,     I — I  was  very — tired." 

Ralph  did  not  look  pleased. 

**And  vou  were  asleep — in  here — when  I  came  to  the 


278  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEK. 

door  twice  and  knocked  !  You  must  have  slept  soundef 
than  you  used,  for  I  made  an  awful  racket." 

The  French  girl  blushed  violently, 

"  She  has  sat  up  late  for  some  time  now,"  said  Ellen, 
in  extenuation.  "  Since  Miss  Flaherty  went  away  she 
has  had  no  one  to  set  her  a  good  example  in  relation  ta 
retiring  early.  I  have  heard  her  moving  about  till  pas/ 
midnight  often." 

Nathalie  tried  to  look  grateful  for  the  sympathy,  but 
the  words  in  which  it  was  uttered  did  not  set  her  at 
ease. 

"Why  did  they  arrest  you  ?"  she  asked,  to  divert  the 
conversation  into  a  more  agreeable  channel. 

"  I  do  not  know  why,"  said  Ellen,  "  but  I  have  learned 
ihe  reason  we  were  released.  President  Stebbins  re- 
ceived an  anonymous  letter  threatening  to  destroy  another 
mill  within  an  hour  if  they  did  not  let  us  go.  I  wish  I 
knew  who  does  these  things,"  she  added,  very  seriously. 
<'I  could  almost  take  him  to  the  police-station  with  my 
own  hands." 

The  color  left  Nathalie's  face,  and  it  grew  paler  than 
the  ceiling  of  the  room. 

"They  have  kept  the  mill-owners  from  turning  us  out 
of  doors  again,"  she  ventured. 

"  Yes,"  retorted  Ellen,  "  and  they  have  taken  from  us 
what  public  endorsement  we  had  gained.  I  do  not 
believe  one  of  my  people  would  do  a  thing  so  utterly 
opposed  to  all  my  teachings,  but  we  get  the  credit  for 
it,  just  the  same.  I  told  Hugh  yesterday  that  if  I  knew 
who  it  was — even  if  it  were  himself — I  would  denounce 
him  !" 

After  saying  this,  Ellen  returned  to  her  own  apart- 
ments  leaving  the  lovers  together. 

**  You  are  not  well,"  said  Ralph.     "  I  am  sorry  I  spoke 


WHEKE   WAS  NATHALIE  f  279 

impatiently.  One  could  tell  to  look  at  you  that  you 
needed  rest.  You  had  best  go  to  sleep  again  as  soon  as 
^ssible." 

She  wound  her  arms  about  his  neck  in  the  good-night 
>ss.  She  was  much  agitated,  though  striving  with  all 
her  power  to  conceal  her  feelings. 

"You  are  trembling,"  he  said. 

•'  Am  I  ?"  she  answered.  "  I  think  I  have  taken  cold." 
She  paused  a  moment,  and  then  burst  out,  "Dear  Ralph, 
would  you  care  very  much  if  I  were  dead  ?" 

He  took  her  face  between  his  hands,  and  looked  at  her. 

*'  See  here  !"  he   exclaimed.     "  You   want  a  doctor  !" 

"No,  Ralph,  I  am  only  tired — and — and  nervous. 
Leave  me  and  I  will  go  to  bed.  To-morrow  I  shall  be 
well  again." 

If  she  had  feared  it  would  be  the  last  kiss  he  would 
ever  give  her  it  could  not  have  been  more  lovingly 
received. 

"Good -night,"  he  said,  "and  be  careful.  You  are  to 
be  my  wife  very  soon  now,  you  know." 

"Good-night,  darling!" 

He  thought  he  would  go  to  his  room,  but  something 
had  made  him  nervous,  too,  and  he  tried  to  dispel  the 
feeling  by  pacing  up  and  down  the  sidewalks.  Half  an 
hour  after  he  left  Nathalie  he  found  himself  in  the 
vicinity  of  her  lodgings,  and  while  he  stood  looking  up 
at  her  darkened  window  he  saw  a  little  figure,  muffled 
in  hood  and  veil,  open  the  door,  glance  cautiously  in  both 
directions,  and  then  start  off  at  a  brisk  pace. 

It  was  Nathalie  beyond  question,  and  he  was  not  a 
moment  in  deciding  to  follow  her.  There  was  something 
mysterious  in  such  a  sally  as  this,  when  he  had  just  left 
her  with  a  promise  that  she  would  at  once  retire. 
Ralph's  jealousy  was  aroused.     He  walked  along  in  the 


280  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

shadow  until  he  saw  the  figure  he  was  watching  pause 

in  front  of  the  Riverfall  House,  take  another  cautious 
g'ly'ice  around,  and  enter  at  the  side  door. 

,t  was  nearly  midnight.  Ralph  waited  a  little  while, 
anr"  then  went  into  the  office  of  the  hotel.  A  dollar 
slipped  quietly  into  the  hand  of  the  night  boy  elicited 
the  information  that  the  young  lady  who  had  just  arrived 
had  gone  directly  to  the  rooms  occupied  by  Miss  MeU 
bourg.  The  lover's  jealous  feelings  were  calmed,  but 
his  curiosity  did  not  abate.  What  could  Nathalie  want 
of  Edna  at  that  hour? 

He  cautioned  the  boy  not  to  mention  his  visit,  and 
went  back  into  the  street  to  watch  and  wait.  He  did 
not  believe  the  girl  would  stay  very  long,  and  he  deter^ 
mined  to  see  the  end  of  the  strange  affair.  Nearly  two 
hours  passed,  and  he  was  about  ready  to  give  up  the  in- 
vestigation  when  the  door  at  which  Nathalie  had  entered 
the  hotel  opened  softly,  and — not  one  figure,  but  two — 
stepped  forth.  He  knew  the  second  figure  was  Edna, 
and  his  wonder  increased.  He  saw  them  start  ofJ 
together  and  was  about  to  follow,  when  a  new  surprise 
greeted  him. 

A  man,  evidently  on  the  same  quest  as  himself,  came 
out  of  a  hiding-place  and  began  to  shadow  the  couple, 
Ralph,  with  the  utmost  care  to  avoid  discovery,  began 
to  shadow  the  man.  And  in  this  manner,  watching  and 
being  watched,  the  strange  quartette  pursued  their  way 
through  the  semi~darknes&. 


TBE   DTNAMTTS   FLOT.  S81 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE     DYNAMITE    PLOT. 

The  reader  might  as  well  be  told  the  truth  about 
Nathalie,  if  he  has  not  already  guessed  it,  with  that 
shrewd  sense  which  in  these  days  baffles  much  more 
ingenious  novelists  than  the  one  who  pens  these  lines. 
The  little  French  girl  had  lent  herself  to  the  schemes  of 
the  dynamiters,  being  persuaded  by  them  that  a  whole- 
some display  of  force  was  needed  to  strike  terror  into 
the  flinty  hearts  of  the  mill-directors.  It  had  been  a  hard 
struggle,  but  she  had  succumbed.  In  her  they  had 
secured  a  most  valuable  ally,  as  will  be  seen  when  one  or 
two  things  are  taken  into  account. 

She  was  a  woman,  to  begin  with,  and  when  once 
engaged  in  a  plot,  women  are  more  trustworthy  than 
men.  She  could  not  be  bribed.  She  had  more  than  the 
average  intelligence.  Then  her  room  was  in  the  same 
building  with  Ellen's,  and  in  case  of  a  general  search 
almost  every  house  in  Riverfall  would  be  looked  into 
before  that  one,  as  the  Marchioness  was  known  to  dis- 
approve so  strongly  of  lawlessness. 

Well  knowing  Ellen's  publicly-expressed  views,  Nath- 
alie was  some  time  in  making  up  her  mind  to  enter  a 
Bcheme  so  totally  at  variance  with  them  ;  but  she  was 
finally  convinced  that,  while  Ellen  could  not  openly 
endorse  the  destruction  of  a  mill  or  two,  she  and  all  of 
the  other  strikers  would  be  sure  to  profit  vastly  by  it. 
"  Unless,"  said  her  tempters,  "  something  startling  is  soon 
done,  the  new  agent  will  order  us  all  out  of  doors,  and 
we  cannot  hope  for  clemency  next  time.     If  we  can  hold 


983  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

this  fear  over  his  head,  we  can  gain  a  more  attentive 
hearing." 

The  dynamite  was  placed  under  every  mill  owned  by 
the  corporation,  and  the  electric  connections  were  made 
before  Nathalie  was  consulted.  Then  it  was  the  work  of 
but  a  few  days — or  rather  nights — to  arrange  the  key- 
board under  the  floor  of  one  of  her  closets,  where  only 
the  most  diligent  search  would  be  likely  to  discover  it. 
Nothing  was  required  of  the  girl  except  to  press  a  given 
key  upon  receiving  the  signal,  and  instantly  the  par- 
ticular mill  with  which  it  was  connected  would  be 
destroyed.  When  Mill  No.  i  was  wrecked  she  experi- 
enced a  shock,  but  the  effects  soon  wore  off.  It  is  one  of 
the  peculiar  things  in  the  human  make-up  that  the  most 
awful  events  lose  their  significance  if  dwelt  upon  per- 
sistently. Nathalie  was  much  more  willing  to  press  the 
key  that  connected  her  with  Mill  No.  2  than  she  had  been 
the  first  one.  She  realized  now  how  potent  was  the 
power  she  held  in  her  hands — how  it  could  make  the 
haughty  capitalist  pause  in  his  cruel  work,  and  bring  even 
the  representatives  of  the  civil  and  military  forces  to 
their  knees  !  Hiding  in  the  room  that  evening,  with  not 
a  light  to  betray  her  presence,  she  almost  hoped  the  signal 
would  be  given  to  explode  the  second  charge,  and  there 
was  a  sentiment  of  disappointment  when  the  time  passed 
without  the  warning.  Such  is  the  fascination  of  a  secret 
mission  to  a  susceptible  mind  ! 

But  the  remarks  that  Ellen  let  fall  when  she  and  Ralph 
called  produced  a  revolution  in  Nathalie's  mind.  That 
plain,  direct  statement  of  her  superior,  that  she  would 
denounce  the  dynamiters,  could  she  find  them,  even  if 
one  were  Hugh,  produced  a  strong  effect.  The  girl 
became  as  anxious  to  retrace  her  steps  as  she  had  pre- 
viously been  to  take  them.      But  how  to  go  to  work  was 


THE    DYNAMITE   PLOT.  283 

♦.he  cuestion.  She  had  a  well-grounded  feai  of  her  asso- 
ciates in  the  plot.  She  believed,  should  they  detect  hef 
in  playing  them  false,  they  would  kill  her  without  scru- 
ple. Some  way  must  be  devised  which  would  convey  a 
belief  that  she  was  innocent.  When  Ralph  left,  she 
thought  the  matter  over,  and  could  see  but  one  feasible 
method. 

She  must  penetrate  into  Mill  No.  7,  where  the  main 
connections  were  laid,  and  cut  the  wires  ! 

The  streets  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mills  were  patroled 
with  soldiers,  but  Mill  No.  7  could  be  entered  from  the 
waterside  with  a  boat,  under  cover  of  the  darkness.  It 
was  a  bold  scheme  for  a  young  girl  to  undertake,  but 
Nathalie  nerved  herself  to  make  the  attempt.  She  did 
not  like  to  go  alone,  however,  and  she  feared  to  take  a 
confidant  in  so  important  a  matter.  While  striving  to 
overcome  the  difficulty  caused  by  this  situation,  she  sud- 
denly thought  of  Edna. 

The  blind  girl  would  do  anything  for  her  friend.  Of 
that  she  felt  sure.  To  ask  her  to  accompany  her  on 
such  a  mission  was  to  put  her  friendship  to  a  severe  test, 
but  Nathalie  believed  she  would  go.  Midnight  is  not  so 
different  from  noon,  when  one  is  sightless.  She  could 
tell  Edna  some  simple  tale  to  account  for  the  journey, 
and  though  she  were  present  when  the  wires  were  cut, 
she  could  never  testify  in  relation  to  it,  if  worse  came  to 
worst.  Yes,  Miss  Melbourg  must  be  persuaded,  if 
possible,  and  if  that  failed,  Nathalie  must  go  alone.  She 
was  determined. 

Edna  was  ready  for  bed  when  the  French  girl  called, 
tnd  was  considerably  surprised  at  the  visit.  It  was 
some  time  before  Nathalie  could  bring  herself  to  make 
the  proposal  for  which  she  came,  but  she  did  s^  ••■ 
)ast. 


984  gPEAKDCG   OF    SLLK». 

'*  Edna,  dear,  would  you  mind  going  out  for  a  I'ttlt 
walk  with  me  ?" 

"  Where  ?"  asked  Edna,  in  a  tone  of  surprise. 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  that.     I  know  it  seems  strange,  h 

am  obliged  to  do  a  very  particular  errand,  and  I  hate 
to  go  alone.  It  is  a  secret — what  I  am  going  to  do — and 
I  know  you  will  not  ask  questions,  Now,  dear,  wrap 
yourself  up  and  come." 

Edna  looked  disturbed. 

"  A  secret  ?"  she  repeated.  "  Is  it  perfectly  right  ?  Ah: 
Perhaps  it  is  something  for  Ellen  ?" 

^  Yes,"  said  Nathalie,  catching  eagerly  at  the  thought. 
"  It  is  something  that  she  wants  done  very  much,  but 
you  must  never  breathe  a  word  of  it,  even  to  her.  I  am 
supposed  to  go  alone,  but — I  dislike  to — and  you  will 
not  tell  any  one,  I  am  sure." 

The  authority  of  Ellen's  name  settled  all  doubts  that 
had  arisen  in  Miss  Melbourg's  mind,  and  she  prepared 
to  accompany  her  friend,  dressing  warmly  and  putting 
rubbers  on  her  feet,  according  to  directions.  Mollie  was 
sound  asleep,  and  there  seemed  no  occasion  to  disturb 
her.  The  girls  believed  that  no  one  saw  them  leave  the 
house.  They  took  a  long  and  circuitous  route,  in  order 
to  avoid  the  patrol.  Having  gone  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  toward  the  country,  they  passed  through  a  gate 
into  a  field,  and  pursued  their  way  by  a  footpath  to  the 
other  side  of  the  town,  near  the  mills.  Reaching  the 
river-side,  Nathalie  took  one  of  several  boats  which 
were  tied  along  the  shore,  and,  after  pushing  it  out 
where  it  would  float,  assisted  Edna  to  a  seat  in  it. 

**  We  must  not  speak  above  a  whisper,"  she  said,  in  the 
tone  indicated„  *'  Keep  perfectly  quiet,  and  all  will  be 
well." 

It  did  not  occur  to  the  blind  girl  that  she  was  running 


THE    DTKAMITK    PLOT.  98S 

B  great  risk.  She  had  perfect  confidence  in  her  com- 
panion, and  did  not  doubt  that  she  was  carrying  out 
explicit  directions  given  her  by  Ellen.  The  boat  was 
easily  propelled  to  the  rear  of  the  mill,  with  hardly  a 
perceptible  sound.  Nathalie  had  been  rowing  a  number 
of  times  since  the  strike  began,  and  was  used  to  handling 
the  oars.  Arriving  at  the  point  which  she  wished  to 
reach,  she  stepped  ashore,  fastened  the  boat,  and  assisted 
Edna  to  land.  Then,  walking  iike  cats  across  the  few- 
feet  of  intervening  space,  they  opened  a  small  door  and 
entered  the  building. 

It  was  almost  as  dark  as  pitch  indoors,  but  Nathalie 
found  a  seat  for  Edna  near  the  entrance,  and  whispering 
a  warning  not  to  move  till  her  return,  stole  softly  across 
the  great  floor  toward  a  stairway  that  led  to  the  base- 
ment. Creeping  through  the  blackness  she  found  the 
place  where  the  wir:s  were  hid  and,  after  lighting  a 
match  to  make  sure,  cut  the  entire  connection  with  a 
heavy  pair  of  shears  that  she  carried  in  her  pocket.  When 
this  was  accomplished  without  accident,  she  experienced 
a  feeling  of  relief,  but  at  the  same  moment  became  aware 
ot  the  intense  strain  under  which  she  was  laborinor. 
Her  strength  gave  way  so  rapidly  that  she  was  obliged 
to  rest  on  the  lower  step  of  the  stairs  before  she  could 
ascend. 

While  waiting  there,  she  heard  a  piercing  scream  from 
above,  and  experienced  a  new  terror  in  the  knowledge 
that  something  had  happened  to  cause  alarm  to  Miss 
Melbourg. 

The  figure  that  Ralph  had  followed  was  that  of  Ezra 
Baker,  the  mill-agent.  Commg  home  late  from  a  visit 
to  a  lady  friend,  he  had  perceived  the  two  girls  as  thej 
left  the  Riverfall  House  and,  easily  recognizing  them, 
decided  to  ascertain  what  took  them  into  the  streets  ai 


886  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEH. 

such  an  unusual  hour.  It  did  not  occur  to  him  thai 
another  might  also  be  shadowing  them,  and  he  was  quite 
lost  in  his  desire  to  see  the  end  of  their  expedition. 
When  they  neared  Mill  No.  7  he  grew  confident  that  the 
journey  had  something  to  do  with  the  dynamite  plot, 
and  his  joy  at  the  prospect  of  being  able  to  unravel  that 
mystery  was  great.  He  stole  along,  at  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance, keeping  in  the  shadows,  but  never  letting  the  girls 
get  out  of  his  sight  for  many  seconds  at  a  time.  When 
they  took  the  boat  he  waited  until  they  had  floated  for 
some  distance  down  the  stream  before  he  took  another 
to  follow  them.  He  seemed  so  near  a  great  discovery 
that  he  deemed  it  prudent  to  use  the  utmost  caution. 

When  he  saw  Nathalie's  boat  tied  to  a  post  on  the 
bank,  he  rowed  his  own  a  little  below  it,  and  fastened  it 
in  a  sheltered  place,  where  it  would  not  attract  attention. 
Then,  with  a  step  like  that  of  a  jaguar,  he  crept  to  the 
door  where  the  girls  had  entered,  and  softly  stole  inside. 

Edna  was  sitting,  as  has  already  been  stated,  upon  a 
bench  near  the  entrance.  Her  abnormally  quick  senses 
advised  her  that  a  third  person  had  entered  the  building, 
but  she  had  no  way  of  determining  whether  it  were  dark 
enough  for  her  to  escape  detection  if  she  remamed 
motionless.  It  was  really  impossible  to  see  anything, 
and  had  she  not  moved  she  would  have  been  unnoticed 
longer  than  she  was.  But,  hearing  the  approach  of  the 
cat-like  steps,  Edna  thought  hei  own  safety,  and  that  of 
Nathalie,  demanded  that  she  move  farther  away,  and,  if 
possible,  toward  the  stairs  by  which  she  knew  her  friend 
had  descended.  Could  she  pass  down  those  stairs 
undetected  she  might  be  able  to  warn  the  French  girl, 
and  secure  a  hiding-place  for  both  until  the  danger  was 
over. 

Baker   heard   the  light   steps   movmj?   from  him  and 


THE   DTNAMTTB    PLOT.  StT 

feeling  sure  that  they  must  be  those  of  one  of  the 
women,  hastened  toward  them.  As  he  reached  her, 
Edna's  foot  hit  against  some  obstruction,  and  she  fell 
headlong.  In  the  darkness  the  agent  fell  also,  and  at 
this  moment  she  uttered  the  scream  she  could  no  longer 
restrain. 

Ralph  was  not  three  minutes  behind  Baker,  whose 
form  he  recognized  as  he  saw  him  take  the  oars  of  the 
second  boat.  Skiffs  were  plenty,  and  the  young  man 
moored  his  above  the  others,  as  soon  as  he  saw  Baker 
enter  the  mill.  He  had  no  definite  idea  what  was  being 
done,  but  he  did  not  propose  to  leave  the  man  alone  in 
that  building  with  his  cousin  and  sweetheart,  no  matter 
what  crime  they  might  intend  to  commit.  Thus  it 
happened  that  when  Nathalie  heard  Edna's  cry,  there 
were  four  persons  inside  the  building  instead  of  two. 

The  sound  of  his  cousin's  voice,  raised  to  a  pitch  that 
denoted  fright,  startled  Ralph.  He  quickly  decided  that 
he  would,  at  all  risks,  know  what  was  going  on,  and  a 
second  later  he  took  a  match  from  his  pocket  and  struck 
it.  As  he  held  the  light  above  his  head  he  could  make 
out  the  prostrate  figures,  and  he  knew  them  both.  But 
where  was  Nathalie  ? 

"Release  that  lady!"  he  said,  in  low  but  perfectly 
distinct  tones.  "Release  her.  Agent  Baker,  or  it  will  be 
worse  for  you  !" 

He  found  a  small  gas-jet  as  he  spoke,  and  lit  it.  It 
produced  a  very  dim  light,  but  sufficient  for  Ralph  to 
distinguish  the  objects  he  needed  to  see. 

Mr.  Baker  arose  and  came  toward  him. 

"So  you  are  in  this  plot,  too,  are  you  ?"  he  muttered. 
**  Your  neck  will  be  liable  to  stretch  for  this — unless — " 
he  hesitated,   "unless  you  make  friends  with  me." 

Miss  Melbourg  came  and  stood  behind  her  cousin,  feel- 


288  SPEAKING    OF   ELLEN. 

ing  her  way  as  is  the  custom  of  the  blind,  all  the  while 
trembling  visibly. 

"  If  friendship  with  an  assailant  of  the  defenceless  is 
needed  to  insure  my  neck,  it  certainly  will  stretch,'' 
sneered  the  young  man,  looking  at  the  other  with  uncon- 
cealed aversion.  "  What  do  you  mean  by  attacking  my 
cousin  in  this  savage  manner  ?" 

The  agent  eyed  him  scornfully. 

"You  talk  glibly,"  he  said,  "  but  before  I  answer  that, 
perhaps  you  will  tell  me  what  brings  you  here  at  this 
hour  of  the  night.  Remember,  I  stand  upon  property 
that  is  in  my  own  control." 

"I  came  to  watch j'c« .'"  retorted  Ralph.  "I  saw  you 
creeping  after  these  girls,  and  I  knew  you  too  well  to 
believe  that  it  was  with  any  good  object !" 

"Indeed  !  And  now  I  would  like  to  know  what  they 
are  doing  here." 

"  They  can  speak  for  themselves." 

"Yes  ;  and  they  shall !"  cried  Baker.  "  They  are  here 
on  some  mission  for  the  men  who  blew  up  the  other  mill, 
and  you  are  most  likely  their  abettor.  Let  me  but  raise 
the  alarm  and  I  will  have  you  all  under  lock  and  key,  to 
prove  your  innocence,  if  you  can,  before  judge  and  jury. 
It  must  be  evident  to  you  that  you  are  in  my  power. 
And  yet,"  pausing  again,  "  I  have  a  proposition  to 
make." 

Edna  touched  Ralph  on  the  shoulder,  and  spoke  in  a 
shaking  voice. 

"  Listen  to  him,  Ralph,  and  let  us  escape  from  here  if 
we  can.  I  have  done  no  wrong  and  know  of  none,  but  I 
am  willing — if  he  demands  it — to  pay  him  something 
for  his  silence." 

Mr.  Baker  heard  the  sweet  voice,  and  found  a  charm 
in  it 


THI5    DTNAMITi;    PLOT.  S8^ 

'*  But  would  you  pay  the  price  I  ask,  pretty  one  ?"  he 
said.  "  I  do  not  wish  to  harm  you.  Will  you  pay  a 
price  that  shall  release  you  and  your  friends  from  the 
present  peril,  and  allow  you  to  go  as  silently  as  you 
came  ?" 

Ralph  started  to  interrupt,  but  the  girl  begged  him  to 
have  patience  for  a  moment  longer, 

"  What  is  your  price,  sir  ?"  she  queried. 

"  That,"  he  said,  "  I  must  tell  to  you  alone.  If  you  will 
take  ten  steps  with  me  I  will  inform  you  of  my  condi- 
tions." 

Against  her  cousin's  hearty  protest  the  blind  gir* 
complied  with  the  mill-agent's  suggestion. 

Nathalie  had  heard  the  voices  and  distinguished 
Ralph's  tones.  As  Edna  went  aside  with  Baker  she 
came  up  the  stairway  and,  guided  by  the  dim  light, 
found  her  way  to  her  lover  and  fell  on  her  knees. 

"  Oh,  Ralph  !  Leave  here  as  soon  as  you  can  get 
away  !  Take  Edna  with  you,  and  let  me  perish  as  I  de- 
serve !  She  did  not  know  where  I  was  going,  nor  what  I 
intended  to  do.  Take  the  boat  without  delay,  I  entreat 
you  !" 

Then  she  sought  Mr.  Baker,  and  clasped  her  hands 
imploringly. 

"  It  is  not  their  fault,  sir  !"  she  said.  "  It  is  all  my 
own.  Call  the  officers  and  bid  them  arrest  me.  I  will 
be  very  quiet  and  go  where  you  please.  Believe  me — by 
the  soul  of  my  mother  ! — they  are  not  to  blame  !" 

But  the  agent  would  not  listen  to  her.  He  was  pour- 
ing into  Edna's  ear,  with  all  the  eloquence  of  which  he 
was  capable,  the  dangers  to  which  she  exposed  herself 
and  friends  if  she  refused  his  offer.  She  was  at  first  too 
stupefied  to  reply,  and  he  mistoi.ik  her  silence  for  partial 
consent 


S90  SPEAKING    OF   ELLKN. 

"We  will  go  at  once  to  Europe, "  he  said.  "We  will 
travel  around  the  globe.  Say  but  the  one  little  word, 
and  you  shall  all  leave  here  as  free  as  you  came." 

In  the  meantime  Ralph  was  talking  to  Nathalie,  who 
had  gone  back  to  him. 

"Rash  girl,  what  devil  persuaded  you  to  join  in  such 
a  deed  ?  For  it  is  now  plain  what  brought  you  here. 
Had  you  no  pity  on  those  who  loved  you  that  you  would 
expose  them  to  such  contempt — if  not  positive  danger — 
as  this  night's  work  will  do  ?" 

She  looked  the  picture  of  woe. 

"  I  came  here  to  save  the  mill,  Ralph,  not  to  destroy 
it !  I  have  just  cut  the  wires,  so  that  nobody  can  injure 
it  hereafter.  Don't  speak  so  cruelly,  I  feel  cold.  It 
seems  as  if  I  were  dying." 

Then  Ralph  heard  Edna. 

"Give  me  a  little  time  to  think,"  she  was  saying.  "It 
is  so  sudden." 

"  Not  an  hour,"  replied  Baker.  "  Not  a  minute.  Is  it 
yes  or  no  ?" 

The  words,  but  especially  the  tone  in  which  they  were 
uttered,  roused  Ralph's  suspicions. 

"What  does  he  demand  ?"  he  asked,  going  to  where 
she  stood  and  encircling  her  with  his  arm.  She  held 
down  her  head,  but  Baker  raised  his  and  looked  at  the 
young  man  insolently. 

"  I  offered  her  my  hand  in  marriage." 

Ralph  took  two  steps  toward  him,  and  shook  his  fist  in 
the  agent's  face. 

"  You  dog — you  worse  than  beast,"  he  cried,  "  you 
shall  answer  to  me  for  that  insult  !  " 

His  eyes  glared  like  those  of  a  bloodhound,  and  the 
agent  did  not  wish  a  personal  contest  with  a  man  so 
infuriated,  even  though  his  form  might  appear  slighter 


THK    DYNAMITE    PLOT.  291 

than  his  own.  He  retreated  toward  the  gas-jet,  and 
with  a  quick  motion,  extinguished  it.  Then,  having 
previously  taken  his  bearings,  he  made  his  way  as  expe- 
ditiously as  he  could  toward  the  door  at  the  waterside. 

As  soon  as  he  could  do  so,  Ralph  relit  the  gas  and  pre- 
pared to  assist  the  girls  to  depart.  Though  he  was  quite 
out  of  patience  with  Nathalie,  he  saw  that  she  would  need 
his  aid  if  she  were  to  escape  Mr.  Baker's  vengeance,  to 
which  he  had  no  intention  of  leaving  her.  But  at  that 
moment  several  windows  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
mill  were  broken  with  a  terrific  crash.  Ralph  saw  the 
gleaming  barrels  of  a  dozen  muskets,  and  heard  a  sonor- 
ous voice  give  the  command,  "  Fire  !" 

It  was  all  done  so  quickly  that  he  had  neither  time  to 
s.ave  himself  nor  to  warn  his  companions.  A  sheet  of 
flame  burst  forth,  and  he  saw  Nathalie  lying  on  the  mill 
floor,  pale  and  still. 

In  a  moment  more  a  group  of  soldiers  was  in  the  place. 
Ralph  and  Edna  were  grasped  by  rough  hands,  and 
Detective  Murray  was  bending  over  the  form  on  the 
floor. 

"  It  is  the  little  French  girl,"  he  said  to  a  subordinate. 
"  Go  to  her  house,  O'Hara,  and  make  a  thorough  search. 
And  you,  Carmody,  take  a  look  at  the  lodgings  where 
young  Melbourg  has  been  staying.  Step  lively,  now ! 
We  shall  have  the  whole  thing  in  our  hands  if  you  are 
wide  awake  !  " 

Ralph,  closely  watched  by  his  guards,  knelt  at  Natha- 
lie's side,  and  clasped  one  of  her  white  hands  in  his  owa 

"  For  God's  sake,  go  for  a  surgeon  !  "  he  pleaded 
**  She  is  not — she  cannot  be  dead  !  Do  not  touch  her 
till  a  physician  comes  !  The  last  words  she  heard  me 
speak  were  uttered  in  unkindness.     Get  help  that  sho 


SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

may  at  least  arouse  herself  enough  to  say  she  forgives 
me  '  " 

Detective  Murray  dispatched  a  messenger  as  requested. 
The  grief  that  Ralph  displayed  affected  all  who  stood 
near. 

"  Why  are  you  so  troubled  ? "  mquired  Murray,  think- 
ing the  incident  a  strange  one.  "  What  is  the  girl  to 
you .''  " 

"  She  was  to  be  my  wife." 

Ralph  kissed  the  quiet  features  as  he  spoke.  He  did 
not  care  who  saw  him.  Never  till  now  had  he  realized 
how  dear  that  child  had  grown. 

Edna  knelt  by  his  side  and  touched  the  face, 

*'  She  still  lives,"  she  whispered.  "  I  am  sure  a  surgeon 
can  save  her." 

Colonel  Kempton,  who  had  been  hastily  summoned 
from  his  bed,  now  joined  the  group. 

"  Mr.  Melbourg,"  he  said,  "  this  is  sad  business." 

"She  was  trying  to  save  the  mill,"  said  Ralph,  raising 
his  eyes  to  the  colonel.  "  I  do  not  understand  it  very 
well,  as  I  came  late,  but  she  told  me  she  knew  where  the 
wires  were,  and  had  cut  them.  They  must  be  in  the 
basement,  as  she  had  just  come  from  there,  I  saw  Agent 
Baker  following  these  girls  here,  and  I  shadowed  him. 
This  lady  is  my  cousin,  and  is  blind.  She  says  she  did 
not  know  the  object  of  Nathalie's  errand,  and  I  am  sure 
she  speaks  the  truth." 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Baker  ?" 

**  He  went  out  at  that  door  just  before  the  firing." 

Detective  Murray  sent  for  a  lantern  and,  with  one  of 
his  men,  explored  the  basement.  They  were  not  long  in 
discovering  the  cut  wires,  and  they  saw  with  satisfaction 
that  the  electric  connection  was  thoroughly  broken. 

Dr.  McNally  arrived  while  this  being  done  and,  after 


THE    PTN AMITE    PLOT.  291 

an  examination  agreed  with  Evlna  thai  life  stiU    existed 
in  Nathalie's  body, 

"  She  should  be  taken  to  some  quiet  place  where  she 
can  have  the  best  of  care,"  he  said.  "  If  that  is  done  she 
has  a  fair  chance  to  recover.  The  only  wound  is  this 
one  in  the  right  shoulder,  but  she  has  had  a  severe 
nervous  shock.  Where  shall  she  be  taken?"  he  asked. 
"  To  my  room,"  said  a  voice. 

It  was  Ellen,  who  had  entered  the  mill  unperceived. 
"That  will  be  excellent,"  said  the  doctor,  and  imme- 
diately dispatched  a  boy  who   had  come  with  him   for  a 
carriage. 

"We  will  see  what  Mr.  Murray  says  to  that,"  said  one 
of  the  Pinkerton  men, 

Murray  was  feeling  well.  He  believed  the  danger  to 
the  Riverfall  mills  was  over,  and  his  face  bore  a  satisfied 
expression  as  he  came  up  the  stairs, 

"  I  wish  to  have  this  nearly  murdered  girl  taken  to 
my  room,"  said  Ellen  to  him,  "  She  cannot  move  with- 
out assistance,  but  if  you  think  necessary  you  can  station 
aguird  at  my  door.  You  cannot  object  to  her  recover- 
ng,  if  it  is  possible." 

"On  the  contrary,"  he  replied,  "I  shall  do  everything  I 
can  to  restore  her.  But,  madam,  I  think  one  of  the 
jailor's  chambers  will  answer  quite  as  well  as  yours. 
We  will  have  her  sent  to  the  jail,  if  you  please,  doctor. 
And,  for  the  present,  at  least,  this  lady  and  gentleman 
(indicating  Ralph  and  Edna)  must  go  with  her." 

Ellen  put  her  arms  about  Edna's  neck  and  kissed  her, 
while  she  tried  to  console  Ralph  with  a  few  words  of 
cheer 

"  I  do  not  know  what  they  intend  to  charge  you  with," 
she  said,  "but  I  am  sure  it  must  be  bailable.     1  shrill tel* 


29*  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

egraph  at  once  for  Mr.  Westland.  Dear  JirJe  Nathalie,  ^ 
pray  God  her  hurt  is  not  fatal !" 

The  carriage  soon  arrived,  and  willing  hands  lifted  the 
still  quiet  burden  into  it.  As  the  distance  was  so  short, 
the  other  two  prisoners  expressed  a  willingness  to  walk, 
and  in  a  brief  time  all  were  inside  the  iron  gates. 

The  jailor  asked  Detective  Murray  whether  anyone 
was  to  be  allowed  to  hold  converse  with  the  captives. 

"Not  a  soul,  unless  I  am  present,"  he  replied.  "Let 
no  one  go  near  them  but  your  own  trusted  assistants." 

He  next  sought  Colonel  Kempton. 

"Double  your  guard  at  Mill- No.  7,"  he  said,  "and  on 
no  account  let  any  person  enter  the  premises.  Put  part 
of  your  patrol  in  boats  and  bid  them  watch  the  river. 
Tell  them  to  report  anything  unusual,  and  arrest  every 
person  who  gives  the  least  cause  for  suspicion." 

"  It  shall  be  done,"  said  the  colonel,  and  he  went  tc 
give  the  necessary  orders. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

MR.  STEBBINS  SELLS  HIS  STOCK. 

Before  Philip  Westland  finished  his  breakfast  the  next 
morning  he  was  given  a  telegram  from  Ellen,  and  as  soon 
as  steam  could  carry  him  to  Riverfall  he  was  there. 
Ellen  met  him  at  the  station  and,  as  they  proceeded  to 
the  village,  she  told  him  as  briefly  as  possible  the  events 
of  the  preceding  night. 

"I  do  not  quite  understand  it  all  yet,"  she  said 
"  Nathalie  knew  where  to  cut  the  wires,  bu»"  whether  she 


MR.    6TEBBIN8    SELLS    HI8    BT0C5I.  295 

learned  it  accidently  or  otherwise  I  am  uncertain.  She 
probably  took  Edna  merely  for  company,  hesitating  to 
undertake  such  a  journey  alone.  When  Ralph  entered 
the  miL  and  found  Baker  there  he  lit  the  gas,  which  nat- 
urally attracted  the  attention  of  the  guard.  Detective 
Murray  and  Colonel  Kempton  were  sent  for  in  haste,  and 
nobody  would  have  been  injured  but  for  the  impetuosity 
of  a  sergeant,  who  claims  that  he  thought  the  people  in- 
side were  about  to  explode  a  charge  of  dynamite,  and 
that  quick  action  was  necessary.  I  have  told  the  justice 
of  the  district  court  that  you  will  furnish  bail  and  he  is 
waiting  for  you,  with  Mr.  and  Miss  Melbourg." 

They  found  the  court-room  crowded,  and  the  judge 
almost  overcome  by  the  sudden  importance  that  had 
been  achieved  by  himself  and  his  position.  In  response 
to  questions  he  said  he  had  decided  to  require  $10,000 
bail  from  each  of  the  defendants  present,  and  $20,000  for 
the  third  one.     Westland  spoke  briefly  in  answer : 

"We  can  easily  furnish  the  bonds  that  your  honor  re- 
quires, but  we  do  not  like  to  be  placed  in  the  position  of 
criminals,  unless  some  sort  of  proof  appears  against  us. 
I  hardly  know  yet  of  what  we  are  accused." 

"Of  aiding  and  abetting  a  conspiracy  to  destroy  the 
mills  of  Riverfall,"  answered  Detective  Murray,  to  whom 
the  justice  turned. 

"  How  ?  By  cutting  the  wires  that  made  such  destruc- 
tion possible?  Or  by  being  present  when  this  was  being 
done,  not  knowing  what  was  going  on  ?  For  these,  I 
learn,  are  all  that  my  friends  are  guilty  of  doing.  ' 

■''  I  shall  submit  no  evidence  at  this  time,"  said  Mr. 
Murray,  '  but  1  insist  on  substantial  bonds.  We  will  try 
your  '  friends,'  Mr.  Westland,  in  a  court  that  kas  jurisdic- 
tion over  felonies.'* 

To  this  West!and  answered,  "  Very  well,"  and  withdraw 


999  sPEAsma  of  bllen. 

further  objection.  Bonds  were  signed  and  the  released 
prisoners  went  at  once  with  him  and  Ellen  to  the  jail, 
where,  upon  displaying  the  necessary  papers,  they  were 
admitted. 

Nathalie  lay  in  the  jailor's  best  bed,  still  unconscious. 
Dr.  McNally  allowed  the  visitors  to  look  at  her,  and  then 
took  them  into  another  room  and  closed  the  door. 

"  It  would  be  very  dangerous  to  attempt  her  removal," 
he  said.  "  She  hovers  between  life  and  death.  The 
slightest  thing  may  turn  the  scale.  If  you  can  make 
arrangements  with  the  jailor,  you  had  best  let  her  remain 
here." 

Ralph  whispered  to  the  others  and  then  went  to  see 
the  jailor.  Money  is  not  so  bad  a  pleader,  sometimes, 
and  he  had  little  difficulty  in  securing  leave  to  h^ve  the 
girl  cared  for  in  the  keeper's  private  rooms  until  her 
recovery,  Ellen  and  anyone  else  who  was  desired  were 
to  have  free  access  to  the  place.  When  Ralph  returned 
and  told  of  his  success,  all  expressed  gratification. 

"You  will  do  everything  possible.  Dr.  McNally/' said 
Ralph,  "  and  look  to  me  for  your  compensation.  That 
bit  of  girlhood  in  there  is  more  to  me  than  all  else  in  this 
world." 

Ellen  and  the  young  man  remained  at  the  jail  for  the 
present,  and  Westland  undertook  to  guide  Edna  back  to 
the  hotel.  Outside  the  prison  gate  they  found  Hugh 
Mayfield  waiting  for  the  latesi  news  in  reference  to  the 
injured  girl. 

"  I  am  going  to  escort  Miss  Melbourg  to  the  Riverfall 
House,"  said  Westland,  when  he  had  told  his  story. 
"You  must  excuse  me,  as  I  have  business  at  the  Agency 
that  needs  my  attention-" 

**  If  you  wish,  and  with  Miss  Melbourg's  permission," 


MB-    «TEBBmS    SELLS    HIS    BTOOE.  29^ 

•aid  Hugh,  boldly,  "  I  will  relieve  you  of  the  first  part  of 
your  duty.     I  was  just  going  in  that  direction." 

Edna  smiled  pleasantly. 

*'  You  are  very  kind,"  she  said,  taking  his  arm.  "  Good- 
by,  Mr.  Westland." 

As  they  walked  along  she  seemed  in  such  a  happy 
mDod  that  he  expressed  astonishment. 

"  Pardon  me.  Miss  Melbourg,"  said  he,  "  but  one  would 
hardly  suppose  a  night  of  such  terror  as  you  have  just 
experienced,  followed  by  a  morning  in  jail  and  court, 
would  leave  you  in  a  state  of  mind  as  jovial  as  that  which 
you  seem  to  possess." 

She  clung  closer  to  his  arm. 

"You  must  think  me  frivolous,"  she  replied,  "but  it 
is  nevertheless  true  that  I  never  carried  a  lighter  heart 
than  1  do  to-day.  I  am  sorry — very  sorry — for  Nathalie, 
and  I  hope  she  will  soon  recover.  But  the  danger  to  the 
mills  is  ended,  and  that  is  something  to  be  thankful  for." 

He  eyed  her  intently. 

"  You  were  frightened,  of  course,  when  Mr.  Bakei 
grasped  you  ? " 

"  Oh,  terribly  !  I  did  not  know  who  it  was  and  in  my 
alarm  I  tripped  and  fell.  Ralph's  voice  partially  reas- 
sured me,  but  I  was  still  far  from  comfortable.  Then 
came  the  crash  at  the  window  and  the  awful  noise  of  the 
muskets.  Then  Nathalie  lay  on  the  floor,  and  we  were 
under  arrest.  At  the  jail  we  were  left  in  the  sitting-room, 
and  not  disturbed  any  more  than  was  necessary.  Ralph 
was  fearfully  dejected — poor  fellow,  he  loves  Nathalie 
so  ! — but  1  felt  my  spirits  rising.  It  may  have  been 
wrong,  but  I  could  not  help  it.  The  room  was  very 
pleasant,  with  its  open  fireplace,  and  there  were  some 
delightful  pictures  on  the  walls." 

Hugh  stared  at  her. 


SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

"  But  you  could  not  see  the  pictures,"  he  said,  with  his 
usual  directness. 

"  Ralph  could  describe  them,  couldn't  he  ?  I  have  fifty 
pictures  at  home  that  I  never  saw,  and  I  think  I  know 
them  all  by  heart.  Not  one  of  them  ever  pleased  me  as 
did  those  in  the  little  sitting-room  where  they  took  me 
last  night.  Then  the  jailor's  wife  got  out  of  bed  and 
came  in  to  talk  with  me.  She  is  the  sweetest  little 
woman,  with  rosy  cheeks  and  brown  eyes — " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?"  He  almost  shouted  the 
question. 

She  laughed  merrily, 

"  Oh,  I  have  ways  of  telling.  The  sound  of  a  person's 
Voice  conveys  to  me  an  idea  of  their  personality.  For 
instance,  I  know  that  you  are  blond  and  that  your  eyes 
are  blue,  and  that  you  wear  a  turned-down  collar  and  a 
black  and  white  cravat.  You  have  a  full  beard — I  know 
you.  have — though  I  never  touched  it — " 

He  stopped  there  in  the  street  and  looked  at  her. 

"It  does  not  become  a  lady  in  your  position,"  he  said, 
**  to  make  sport  of  the  feelings  of  a  man  in  mine." 

His  evident  earnestness  and  sincerity  could  not  wholly 
repress  her  gaiety. 

"  You  are  to  see  me  to  the  hotel,"  she  smiled,  "  and  we 
must  not  tarry  too  long  on  this  corner.  I  think  we  go  to 
the  right,  do  we  not,  and  pass  a  large  white  house  that 
sits  back  from  the  street.  I  have  often  been  this  way 
with  Mollie,"  she  explained,  "and  she  tells  me  every- 
thing. Do  the  leaves  fall  as  early  this  every  year? 
Why,  it  is  not  far  into  November  yet.  And  how  clear 
the  sky  is  !  Not  a  cloud  anywhere  !  I  can  tell  as  well 
as  you  who  have  sight.  This  glorious  air  could  not 
belong  to  a  dark  and  dismal  day." 

When  they  reached  the  hotel  he  reluctantly  consented 


MK.    9TEBBIN8    SELLS    HIS    STOCK.  299 

to  enter  the  parlor  with  her,  but  said  he  could  remain 
only  a  very  short  time.  Her  happiness  grated  upon  him, 
and  yet  he  could  not  tell  why.  If  a  blind  girl  had  found 
a  pleasant  hour,  who  could  envy  her  its  possession  ? 

She  took  up  her  guitar,  which  lay  where  she  had  left 
it  on  the  evening  when  they  all  sang  together,  and 
struck  several  chords  gently.  She  stopped  in  the  middle 
of  a  note,  and  put  down  the  instrument. 

"  It  was  frightful  in  that  mill  !  "  she  said.  "  That  dark 
place  suddenly  lit  up  by  the  flash  of  those  muskets — 
those  gleaming  barrels — " 

He  interrupted  her  with  impatience. 

"  What  can  you  know  of  flashes  and  gleams  ?  I  cannot 
understand  your  meaning  !" 

She  laughed  again. 

"  Before  I  was  twelve  I  could  see  as  well  as  any  one. 
I  know  that  guns  emit  flashes  when  they  are  fired,  and 
that  their  polished  barrels  always  gleam  when  light 
strikes  upon  them.  Besides,  I  have  had  hundreds 
of  books  read  to  me.  And  I  know,"  she  continued, 
saucily,  "  that  I  like  blue  eyes,  and  full  beards,  and  long, 
drooping  blond  moustaches." 

He  rose  and  took  up  his  haL 

"You  see  only  too  well,  Miss  Melbourg,"  he  said. 
"  Your  vision,  blind  to  outward  things,  has  penetrated 
the  secret  of  my  heart.  It  may  amuse  you  to  learn  that 
a  poor  mill-worker  has  dared  to  love  one  who  is — in  the 
cant  phrase  of  the  world,  that  only  looks  to  wealth  and 
station — so  far  above  him.  But  my  self-respect  will  not 
allow  me  to  intrude  longer  upon  you.  I  have  made  a 
great  mistake.     Believe  me,  it  shall  not  be  repeated." 

He  was  at  the  door  when  she  reached  his  side. 

"  Hugh,"  she  said,  softly,  "  it  is  not  /  who  am  blind ; 
it  isy&u." 


SOO  S3?EAKING   OF   ELLEN, 

"//"  he  answered,  satirically. 

"  Yes  ;  or  you  would  have  known  long  ago  how  ^r 
fectly  your  love  is  returned." 

"  Miss  Melbourg — " 

"No,"  she  corrected,  "Edna." 

"  Edna,  are  you  honest  with  me  ?  ** 

She  laid  her  head  on  his  breast,  and  the  full,  blond 
beard  touched  her  face  at  last. 

*'  A  blind  girl,"  she  said.  "  Think  of  the  burden  I  shal! 
be." 

"  I  will  be  eyes  to  you.  But,  tell  me  ;  why  were  you 
in  such  spirits  this  morning?" 

She  raised  her  lips  to  his. 

"  Were  you  not  with  me  ?" 

And  there  we  will  leave  them. 

Westland  found  President  Stebbtns  at  the  Agency, 
signing  the  calls  for  another  meeting  of  the  directors. 
He  greeted  the  ex-agent  with  formal  politeness,  in  which 
there  was  very  little  cordiality. 

"  Let  me  offer  you  congratulations,"  said  Westland, 
"that  the  mills  are  no  lonprer  in  danger.  It  is  true  that, 
in  bailing  several  accused  persons  this  morning,  I  may 
seem  to  be  opposing  you,  but  in  reality  it  is  not  so.  I 
believe  the  girl  the  militiamen  wounded  is  entitled  to 
your  thanks.  She  cut  the  wires,  that  is  certain.  How 
she  knew  oi  their  location  I  cannot  tell,  and  she  may  die 
with  the  secret  on  her  lips.  As  to  the  others,  I  would 
stake  my  soul  on  their  complete  innocence." 

Mr.  Stebbins  was  reticent  on  that  subject.  He  handed 
the  director  a  notice  of  the  meeting  he  had  called,  saying 
he  hoped  he  would  be  present. 

"  I  shall,"  was  the  reply.  "  If  we  are  to  save  our  prop- 
erty it  is  time  something   should   be  done.     The   los» 


mt.    STEBBTNS    BELLS    HI8   STOCK-  801 

caused  by  idleness  will  soon  be  as  great  as  if  tht  mills 
were   destroyed    at   once  by   explosives.      I   see  by  the 
morning  papers  that  our  stock  sold  at  263  yesterday." 
The  president  gasped  with  horror. 

"  Then  I  am  ruined  !"  he  cried.  "  I  have  most  of  mine 
hypothecated  at  260." 

"Perhaps  the  falling  off  will  only  be  temporary,"  sug- 
gested Westland.  "  I  believe  with  the  present  rates  of 
cotton  we  could  start  up  the  mills  again,  and  earn  five  or 
six  per  cent.  In  the  meantime,  if  you  need  money  to 
meet  your  obligations,  I  shall  be  happy  to  oblige  you.  I 
have  confidence  in  the  stock.  Indeed,  I  have  left  orders 
with  my  broker  to  buy  some." 

Mr.  Stebbins  hardly  seemed  to  hear  him. 
"I  am  ruined,"  he  repeated,  in  a  faint  voice. 
"How  many  shares  do  you  hold  ?" 
"Three    hundred.     I    bought    considerable   when   the 
troubles  began,  thinking  they  would  soon  go  up  again. 
That  is  how  I  came  to  put  my  other  shares  in  pledge.     I 
am  ruined.     There  is  no  doubt  about  it." 
"  What  will  you  take  for  your  holdings  ?" 
Mr.  Stebbins  looked  up  blankly. 
"  Do  you  want  them  ?" 

"I  have  a  client  who  does,  if  the  price  is  right.     I  will 
give  you  $50  above  the  highest  price  to-day— whatever 
it  is — for  every  share  you  own." 
"  I  will  do  it,"  said  Mr,  Stebbins. 
•'Put  it  in  writing." 

"  I  will ;  and  I  will  resign  from  the  board  of  directors 
tomorrow.  The  Lord  knows  I  have  not  had  a  good 
night's  sleep  since  this  row  began." 

Westland  took  the  agreement  when  it  was  ready,  and 
read  it  over. 
••  One  thing  more,"  he  said,  as  he  handed  Mr.  Stebbins 


302  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

a  check  on  account.  "You  will  say  nothing  of  this  untfil 
after  the  meeting." 

"Not  a  syllable." 

A  servant  announced  that  Detective  Murray  had 
arrived,  and  as  Westland  expressed  a  desire  to  see  him, 
he  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  two  directors. 

"I  bear  sad  news,"  he  said.  "Mr.  Baker's  body  was 
found  in  the  river  this  morning." 

"  His  body  !"  cried  both  gentlemen  at  once. 

"Yes.  According  to  Mr.  Melbourg's  story,  the  agent 
left  the  mill  just  previous  to  the  firing.  It  is  supposed 
that  he  fell  m  the  darkness,  and  struck  his  head  on  one  of 
the  stones  that  line  the  embankment.  At  any  rate  there 
is  a  fracture  of  the  skull,  and  the  doctors  say  he  could 
not  have  survived  even  without  the  fall  into  the  stream." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  Westland,  and  he  looked 
the  words  he  uttered.  Mr.  Stebbins  seemed  simply 
unable  to  say  anything. 

"Such  is  life,"  commented  the  detective.  "To-day  we 
are  here  ;  to-morrow — by-the-way,  the  man  Converse 
and  several  of  his  most  intimate  associates  have  disap- 
peared since  daylight.  They  probably  had  a  fear  that 
the  French  girl  would  confess." 

Westland  shook  his  head,  and  said  he  could  not  believe 
her  guilty. 

"You  would,  I  guess,  if  you  saw  the  machinery  we 
found  in  her  room,"  replied  Murray.  "She  had  an 
arrangement  under  her  floor  by  which  she  could  touch 
off  every  mill  in  Riverfall  at  her  pleasure.  Oh,  yes  ; 
we've  got  her  down  fine.  I'd  just  as  lief  tell  you  now 
that  she  was  in  the  room  where  we  found  this  machinery 
at  the  very  minute  Mill  No.  i  was  destroyed.  We  have 
a  witness  who  saw  her  leave  it  a  short  time  after.  She 
was  there  also  on  the  night  of  the  big  meeting,  when  we 


MR.    STEBBTNS    8KLLS    HIS    STOCK.  303 

got  that  threatening  letter  giving  us  an  nour  to  release  ouf 
prisoners.  There  is  no  cleverer  case  in  the  history  of 
crime.  I  am  sorry  young  Melbourg  has  got  mixed  up  in 
it,  but  you  ought  to  know  the  facts,  Mr.  VVestland.  It  is 
something  for  you  to  think  of,  whether  you  want  to  con- 
tinue as  bondsman  in  a  case  of  this  kind,  when  there  i\, 
no  longer  any  doubt  of  the  guilt  of  the  accused." 

Unable  to  offer  any  reply  to  this  explicit  statement, 
Westland  left  the  Agency  and  went  to  the  jailer's  house 
in  search  of  Ellen,  to  whom  he  related  all  he  had  heard. 
The  death  of  Mr.  Baker  impressed  her  greatly,  and  she 
gave  utterance  to  the  wish  that  he  could  have'been  in  a 
more  suitable  frame  of  mind  to  meet  the  awful  change. 
As  to  Nathalie,  she  only  said  :  "  Her  guilt  or  innocence 
is  a  minor  question  now  ;  we  must  save  her  life  before 
we  talk  of  anything  else."  And  he  stooped  to  kiss  her,  as 
they  stood  at  the  bedside  where  the  young  girl's  soul 
still  hovered  between  earth  and  heaven. 

On  the  next  day  but  one  the  directors  met  at  the 
Agency.  There  were  seven  of  them  by  the  by-laws  of 
the  corporation,  but  the  death  of  Mr.  Baker  reduced  the 
number  to  six,  and  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Stebbins  left 
but  five  members  to  choose  his  successor.  Westland  had 
secured  the  co-operation  of  two  of  the  other  directors,  by 
a  liberal  purchase  of  their  stock,  and  the  names  he  pro- 
posed to  fill  the  vacancies— Ellen  Eastman  and  Hugh 
Mayfield — were  successful. 

Mr.  Stearns,  one  of  the  unconsulted  directors,  on  whom 
the  announcement  of  this  result  fell  like  a  shock,  rose  to 
say  that  he  would  offer  his  resignation.  He  said  he  did 
not  care  to  act  on  a  board  with  a  woman.  He  also  in- 
quired, parenthetically,  who  this  female  director  was, 
anyway. 

"She  is  by  far  the  largest  owner  of  stock  in  the  corpor* 


304:  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

ation,"  replied  Westland,  who  occupied  the  chair.  "  She 
is  the  only  child  of  the  late  Edwin  Eastman,  and  v/ill  be 
my  wife  within  a  few  weeks.  Those  in  favor  of  accept- 
ing the  resignation  of  Director  Stearns  will  say  *  Aye ' ; 
those  opposed  will  say  '  No.'     It  is  a  vote." 

Ralph  Melbourg  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy  The 
other  director,  Mr.  Kingdon,  sat  speechless.  Then 
officers  of  the  board  were  chosen  as  follows :  President, 
Ellen  Eastman  ;  vice-president,  Philip  Westland  ;  agent, 
Hugh  Mayfield.     And  the  directors  adjourned. 

As  Westland  left  the  building  Mr.  Stearns  met  him  at 
the  doon 

"  I  shall  protest,  at  the  stockholders'  meeting,  against 
this  election,"  he  said,  in  an  ill  temper.  "I  have  been 
told  that  Miss  Eastman  is  not  of  age." 

"Oh,  but  she  is  !"  said  Westland.  "  She  is  twenty-one 
— to-day." 

Then  he  went  to  see  Ellen  again,  and  told  her  what 
had  been  done.  She  tried  to  protest,  for  he  had  given 
her  no  intimation  of  his  intention  to  use  her  name,  but 
he  would  not  hear  of  it. 

"  It  is  your  property,  and  you  are  the  one  who  should 
control  it,"  he  said.  "  I  will  be  at  hand  to  give  you  any 
information  you  need,  and  you  will  get  along  finely. 
The  people  will  have  more  confidence  in  the  affair  if 
they  see  you  at  its  head." 

That  night  an  immense  crowd  gathered  about  a 
written  notice  that  had  just  been  posted  on  the  great  gate 
of  Mill  No.  2,  and  shouts  of  frantic  joy  rent  the  air  as 
they  read  these  lines  • 

"The  Great  Central  mills  will  be  open  for  work  next 
Monday  morning,  at  the  old  schedule.  All  who  wish 
employment  are  requested  to  notify  the  agent  before 
that  time.  Ellen  Eastman,  President 

"  Hugh  Mayfield.  Agent." 


▼wo   STRANGE   MABRIAGBS.  306 

CHAPTER   XXVt 

TWO    STRANGE     MARRIAGES. 

Foi  several  days  Nathalie  lay  between  life  and  death, 
but  at  last  she  began  to  rally.  When  she  first  regained 
consciousness  it  was  evident  that  she  had  forgotten  the 
events  that  led  to  her  prostration,  for  she  inquired  in 
whose  house  she  was  and  how  she  came  to  be  so  ill. 
The  musket-ball  had  been  extracted  from  her  shoulder, 
and  she  did  not  at  first  pay  a  great  deal  of  attention  to 
her  wound,  as  the  anodynes  which  Dr.  McNally  applied 
kept  it  from  giving  her  much  pain.  Her  trouble  was 
principally  of  the  nervous  order,  and  the  good  physician 
expressed  his  belief  that  she  would  be  as  well  as  ever  in 
a  few  weeks,  unless  put  back  by  unforeseen  difficulties 
He  advised  Ralph  to  be  with  her  as  much  as  possible* 
and  to  assume  at  all  such  times  a  cheerful  demeanor 
which  should  give  the  girl  no  hint  that  he  had  cause  for 
low  spirits. 

These  directions  were  faithfully  carried  out.  Ellen's 
place,  when  she  was  obliged  to  be  absent,  was  taken  by 
one  of  the  mill-women  whom  Nathalie  knew,  and  who 
proved  a  careful  nurse.  Edna  came  in  very  often,  usually 
escorted  by  Hugh,  and  everything  was  done  to  brighten 
the  life  of  the  sick  girl. 

Ralph  was  much  chagrined  to  think  that  his  promised 
bride  should  have  been  concerned  in  the  dynamite  plot, 
for  he  could  see  no  other  way  to  explain  her  knowledge 
of  the  location  of  the  wires  in  the  mill.  He  loved  the 
girl  devotedly,  but  as  he  sat  at  her  bedside  he  had  great 
difllculty  in  following  Dr.  McNally's  injunction  to  appear 


306  8PEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

cheerful.  In  the  face  of  Ellen's  explicit  statements  of 
her  abhorrence  of  all  violent  measures,  Nathalie's  con- 
duct seemed  wholly  without  excuse.  But  condemn  the 
act  as  he  might,  the  actor  grew  very  dear  to  him  as  he 
realized  how  close  he  had  come  to  losing  her.  And  the 
first  kiss  which  he  placed  on  her  lips  after  she  opened  her 
eyes  and  recognized  him  was  as  warm  as  she  could  have 
desired. 

It  was,  very  luckily,  Ellen  who  happened  to  be  alone 
with  her  the  day  she  first  recollected  what  caused  hef 
injury.  Ellen  had  thought  the  matter  over  a  good  deal 
in  view  of  this  very  contingency. 

"What  makes  my  shoulder  so  lame?"  asked  the  girl. 

"It  was  hurt  ;  you  had  a  fall." 

"  How  did  it  happen  ?"  she  asked,  knitting  her  brows. 
**  Were  you  there  ?     Did  you  see  me  ?" 

"No,  dear.  But  you  must  not  forget  that  the  doctof 
objects  to  your  talking.  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it,  by 
and-by." 

The  girl  lay  very  still  for  several  minutes,  when  all  ai 
once  she  burst  into  tears. 

"I — I  remember!"  she  sobbed.  "  Oh,  can  you — ever 
— forgive  me  ?" 

Ellen  sat  down  by  the  bedside  and  soothed  her  with 
kisses. 

"  Many  pleasant  things  have  happened  since  you  have 
been  sick,  dear.  When  you  are  well  enough  to  know  all, 
you  will  find  much  reason  for  thankfulness." 

"  But  I  was  so  wicked  !"  she  moaned.  "  I  know  that 
the  soldiers  fired  at  us.    Was — was  anyone  hurt  but  me  ?" 

"  No." 

"  I  am  so  glad  !  I  deserve  my  punishment ;  but  I 
meant  well,  Ellen,  indeed  I  did  1     I  thought  it  would 


TWO    8TRAN0S   IfARRIAOES.  3Ul 

prevent  everybody  being  turned  out  of  doors  again — ard 
the  weather  had  grown  so  cold — and — " 

"There,"  said  Ellen,  soothingly,  "you  must  not  get 
excited.  Lie  still  and  I  will  tell  you  some  of  the  good 
news.  Mr.  Westland  has  bought  so  much  of  the  mill 
Stock  that  he  can  do  just  as  he  pleases  with  everythmg. 
'The  people  are  sure  to  have  their  homes  and,  better  than 
all,  the  mills  are  running  again  ;  yes,  actually  running! 
And  he  is  paying  the  old  wages,  and  hopes  before  long  to 
increase  them  !  He  refuses  to  take  a  penny  from  the 
working-people  for  rent.  He  is  going  to  have  better 
schools  here,  and  a  hospital  and  a  nursery  where  the  little 
children  can  be  cared  for  during  the  day.  Oh,  Nathalie, 
you  will  hardly  know  Riverfall  when  you  are  well  enough 
to  go  out !  The  soldiers  have  gone,  and  Hugh  is  to  be 
one  of  the  law-makers  at  the  State  House,  and  every  one 
you  will  meet  will  wear  a  smile  !" 

Nathalie's  face  lightened  a  little,  but  soon  grew  som- 
bre again. 

"  No  face  will  wear  a  smile  for  me,"  she  said,  sadly. 
"And  r  meant  to  help  you  in  all  that  I  did  !  I  thought 
you  would  be  glad — although  you  would  not  wish  to 
know  what  was  being  done — and  I  never  thoroughly  un- 
derstood you  till  that  night.  Then  I  was  frightened  and 
I  got  Edna  to  go  with  me  while  I  cut  the  wires,  though 
she  had  no  idea  what  I  intended  to  do.  And  when  I  had 
done  it  and  was  just  going  to  come  up  the  stairs,  I  heard 
her  scream  ;  and  I  came  to  where  Ralph  was,  and  Edna 
was  talking  to  Mr.  Baker,  and  Ralph  scolded  me.  And 
then  the  soldiers  broke  in  and  fired,  and  I  didn't  know 
anything  else." 

She  told  her  story  in  a  jerky,  hysterical  way,  and  Ellen 
thought  it  might  be  as  injurious  to  repress  her  as  to 
allow  her  to  proceed. 


Z0$  8PBAEINO   OF   SLLSN. 

"  Wei!,  dear,  it  is  all  over  now,"  she  said,  "and  w« 

must  be  thankful  it  is  no  worse." 

A  sudden  thought  entered  the  girl's  mind. 

"  Have  the  soldiers — the  officers — arrested  anybody— 
any  of  the  men  who  put  the  wires  there  ?" 

"  No,  they  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  who  is 
guilty." 

*'  Then  I  am  willing  to  suffer,"  said  Nathalie,  with  a 
sigh  of  intense  relief.  "I  am  willing  even  to  die.  They 
will  ask  me  questions,  but  I  shall  never  tell  them.  Those 
men  trie  1  to  help  you,  as  I  did,  and  made  a  great  mis- 
take.    I  ihall  not  tell  their  names  ;   no,  never  !" 

This  reflection  seemed  to  afford  her  great  comfort,  fot 
she  repeated  the  words  many  times,  until  at  last  they 
passed  into  a  drowsy  murmur  and  she  fell  asleep. 

Vice-President  Westland,  of  the  Great  Central  Corpo- 
ration, was  a  much  more  important  personage  than 
Director  Westland  or  even  Agent  Westland  had  been. 
The  revolution  in  the  affairs  of  Riverfall  impressed  many 
pernonsdeeply,  and  none  more  than  Detective  Murray,  of 
Pinkerton's.  It  was  not  so  hard  a  matter  to  convince 
this  official  that  he  had  a  very  wlim  case  against  the  par- 
ties arrested  in  Mill  No.  7  on  the  night  he  and  the  sol. 
diers  broke  into  it,  for  he  had  tried  in  vain  to  secure  evi- 
dence connecting  them  with  the  placing  of  the  dynamite 
bombs.  The  most  he  could  have  proved  against  Nath" 
alie  was  that  the  electrical  apparatus  was  found  beneath 
the  floor  of  her  room,  and  that  sh-  had  probably  cut  the 
wires  in  the  basement  of  the  mill.  The  latter  act  was 
certainly  in  her  favor  and  the  former  was  hardly  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  guilt,  when  totally  unsupported  by  other 
testimony.  Westland  argued  to  Murray  that  the  appar- 
atus might  have  been  put  there  to  throw  suspicion  upon 
an  innocent  party.     It  wa«  easy  to   enter  such    a  rooai 


TWO   STRANOE   MARRIAGB8.  809 

«t^ith  false  keys,  and  secrete  one's  self  in  the  closet  during 
the  frequent  absences  of   the  rightful   tenant.      Perhaps 
the  work  was  accomplished  during  the  time  when  the 
building  was  empty,  after  the  tenants  had  been  evicted. 
Mr.  Murray  acknowledged  the  justice  of  these  claims, 
and  admitted  that  there  was  little  upon  which  to  convict 
the  French  girl  unless  she  should  confess,  which  was  not 
likely.     As  to  Ralph    and   Edna,  he  was  now  perfectly 
satisfied  that  their  connection  with  the  matter  was  hon- 
orable.    So  a  little  conversation  took  place  with  the  dis- 
trict attorney  and   a  judge,  and  the  accusation   against 
the  arrested  parties  was  formally  withdrawn,  to  the  gen- 
eral joy  of  Riverfall. 

When  Nathalie  was  well  enough  to  be  removed  to 
Ellen's  rooms  she  had  to  learn  that  she  had  been  staying 
in  the  jailer's  house  ;  but  they  were  able  to  say  to  her  at 
the  same  time  that  all  charges  against  her  had  been  not 
pressed  and  that  she  need  fear  no  one.  After  a  long 
debate  on  the  subject,  Westland,  Edna  and  Ralph  had 
agreed  that  her  fault  was  one  that  should  be  condoned, 
and  that  the  wisest  thing  to  do  was  to  act  as  though  it 
had  not  only  been  forgiven  but  forgotten.  With  loving 
words  and  kind  hands  to  assist  her  recovery  the  girl  was 
soon  on  the  road  to  health.  But  when  the  doctor  pro- 
nounced her  fit  to  take  the  air  she  shrank  from  encoun- 
tering the  gaze  of  her  old  associates,  and  they  could  not 
induce  her  to  cross  the  threshold. 

Ralph  was  in  a  quandary,  for  he  knew  how  much  she 
needed  the  outdoor  atmosphere.  He  talked  the  matter 
over  with  her  seriously,  and  at  last  they  found  a  way  out 
of  the  difficulty.  She  put  on  her  outer  garments  one 
evening,  and  hid  her  features  with  a  thick  veil.  With 
Ralph  for  her  companion  she  stepped  into  a  closed  car- 
riage at  the  door  and  drove  a  short  distance.     When  they 


SIO  gPEAKING    OP    ELLEN. 

returned,  the  carnage  waited  for  them  till  Ellen  had 
kissed  the  little  bride  and  blessed  her,  and  then  the 
wedded  couple  took  the  late  train  for  New  York.  Nathalie 
would  not  hear  of  a  more  demonstrative  wedding.  She 
looked  like  a  very  quiet  girl  indeed  as  she  lay  in  Ralph's 
arms  in  a  Pullman  compartment,  on  her  way  to  the  city 
But  she  was  happy,  nevertheless. 

There  was  a  lively  time  with  the  stockholders  when 
the  annual  meeting  occurred  in  December.  Some  of  them 
talked  rather  angrily  at  Vice-President  Westland  who,  in 
the  absence  (by  his  earnest  advice)  of  President  East- 
man, occupied  the  chair.  They  announced  their  convic- 
tion that  a  trick  had  been  played  upon  them  by  one  of 
their  sworn  directors,  and  that  they  had  been  swindled — 
yes,  sir,  swindled  ! — out  of  the  value  of  their  shares.  It 
was  evidently  the  intention  of  one  of  the  directors  (they 
would  mention  no  names)  to  so  conduct  the  affairs  of  the 
corporation  as  to  reduce  the  value  of  the  stock  still  more, 
in  order  to  buy  out  the  minority  stockholders  at  his  own 
terms.  Such  conduct  as  that  might  be  legal,  in  a  certain 
sense,  but  it  was  clearly  dishonorable  and,  while  there 
appeared  to  be  no  remedy,  they  had  at  least  the  right  to 
denounce  it — yes,  sir  !  and  they  would  denounce  it,  there 
and  elsewhere.  They  would  let  the  public  know  what 
kind  of  people  were  posing  as  reformers  and  upbuilders 
of  society  ! 

Westland,  though  wincing  at  every  blow  of  the  lash, 
gave  the  utmost  latitude  to  all  who  desired  to  free  their 
minds.  When  the  vote  was  taken,  the  old  board  was 
re-elected  by  a  decisive  majority. 

The  next  morning  Ellen  read  an  account  of  the  meet- 
ing in  one  of  the  New  York  newspapers,  for  the  matter 
was  deemed  of  sufficient  public  interest  to  take  up  several 


TWO    RTBANOB   MARSIASB8.  HI 

columns  of  space.    Westland  came  in  as  she  was  reading; 
and  he  saw  that  she  was  greatly  troubled. 

"What  dreadful  things  that  Mr.  Morse  said  about  you, 
yesterday,"  she  remarked.  "  He  called  you  almost  every- 
thing despicable.  I  do  not  see  how  you  could  endure  it 
so  quietly,  for  the  Herald  says  you  made  no  reply." 
He  sat  down  and  took  her  hands  in  his. 
"  The  reason  why  I  did  not  reply,"  he  said,  "  was  be- 
cause I  could  not." 

"  But  he  said  what  was  untrue  !  "  she  protested.  "  You 
are  not  trying  to  depress  the  value  of  the  stock  in  order 
to  buy  it  in.  You  should  not  have  let  that  charge  go 
unrefuted." 

He  bent  his  face  to  hers,  and  drank  one  draught  of 
courage  from  her  ripe  lips. 

"If  I  had  spoken,  Ellen,  I  should  have  had  to  keep  on 
speaking.  Of  the  one  thing  you  mention  I  am  at  least 
technically  innocent.  But  I  have  done  and  am  still  doing 
other  things  that  are  equally  culpable." 

She  looked  up  in  a  startled  way,  and  half  drew  hdr 
hand  from  his. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 
He  kissed  her  again. 
,    "  My  dear  wife — for  you  are  so  near  it  that  I  can  think 
of  you  in  no  other  way — I  fear  I  cannot  make  my  mean- 
ing plain  to  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  consent  to  leave  the 
subject  where  it  is." 

She  drew  her  hand  quite  away  this  time,  and  moved 
her  chair  a  little. 

"  No,  Philip,  I  cannot  leave  it  where  it  is.  You  say 
you  have  done  things  that  are  as  dishonorable  hs  to  wil- 
fully depress  the  value  of  stock  so  as  to  purchase  it  for 
your  own  gain  and  at  the  loss  of  the  owner.  I  must 
kaow  what  yot  mean." 


312  BPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

Her  manner  sent  a  chill  over  him.  He  could  not  deny 
that  imperiousness  became  her  when  she  applied  it  to 
others,  but  it  did  not  relish  so  well  when  used  upon 
himself. 

i  "  As  you  will,"  he  said,  quietly.  "  The  rate  of  wages 
we  are  paying,  the  free  rents  we  are  giving,  the  shorter 
hours  we  are  running,  are  all  incompatible  with  a  divi- 
dend, unless  it  be  a  very  small  one.  You  and  I  and 
the  Melbourgs  may  consent  to  sacrifice  our  investments. 
The  other  stockholders  do  not  so  consent,  and  yet  we 
have  taken  away  the  income  of  their  property.  In  one 
sphere  of  life  this  is  what  is  known  as  a  business  trans- 
action ;  in  another  it  is  called  Robbery." 

The  color  came  and  went  in  Ellen's  cheek,  and  her 
bosom  heaved  rapidly. 

"  You  would  not  have  tolerated  the  dynamiters,"  he 
continued.  "  Hugh  tells  me  you  said  you  would  give 
even  him  up  to  the  police  if  you  knew  he  was  concerned 
in  that  affair.  But  you  are  as  effectually  destroying  the 
property  of  the  people  whose  money  is  in  these  mills  as 
if  you  had  personally  applied  the  electric  current  to  the 
explosives.  Mill  No.  i,  lying  yonder  in  ruins,  is  just,  as 
profitable  to  its  owners  to-day  as  any  of  the  other  six. 
Ellen,  I  have  helped  you  to  bring  about  this  condition  of 
affairs  because  I  love  you — not  because  I  can  persuade 
myself  that  it  is  right." 

She  stared  vacantly  about  the  room. 

*'  They  robbed  us  for  years,"  she  said,  in  a  low  ton^ 
more  as  if  addressing  herself  than  him.  "They  gave  ii3 
low  wages  and  long  hours,  and  kept  for  themselves  un- 
warranted sums  out  of  the  product  of  our  toil.  Now 
that  we  have  the  opportunity,  may  we  not  in  Justice  take 
back  our  own  ?  In  the  twenty-two  years  that  1  and  my 
moth&r  worked  for  them  they  received  the  cost  of  theii 


TWO  STRANQB  MARSIAaES.  SIS 

■hares  three  times  over.  For  the  love  of  Heaven,  how 
much  do  we  owe  them  now  ?  " 

"  But,  Ellen,"  he  answered,  "  those  who  own  the  Great 
Central  shares  to-day  are  largely  men  and  women  who 
have  bought  them  in  recent  years.  Some  who  paid 
$600  and  $650  a  share  could  not  sell  now  for  $250.  They 
are  not  to  blame  for  the  injustice  of  which  you  speak, 
and  yet  we  make  them  suffer  for  it.  To  some  of  them 
the  loss  will  mean  great  hardship,  to  others  utter  misery. 
You  and  I  have  done  it.  Let  us  not  seek  to  evade  our 
responsibility." 

She  spoke  with  set  gaze,  like  a  seeress. 

"Why  did  they  buy  the  stock ?"  she  queried.  **  I  will 
tell  you.  They  hoped  to  gain  an  easy  living  for  them- 
selves through  the  low-priced  labor  of  the  toilers  in  these 
mills.  They  knew,  or  could  have  known,  by  what  out- 
rageous oppression  the  twelve  per  cent,  dividends  on  the 
quintuply-watered  stock  were  produced.  They  took  a 
partnership  in  the  villainy,  as  their  ancestors  did  in 
pirate  ships  and  slavers.  If  the  buccaneers  were  caught 
and  swung  from  the  yard-arm — if  the  negroes  rose  and  cut 
the  throats  of  their  captors — who  spent  their  sympathy 
on  the  capitalistic  investors?  These  purchasers  of 
Riverfall  stock  played  at  a  game  of  hazard,  and  they 
have  lost.     I  for  one  shall  waste  no  tears  on  them  !  ** 

He  did  not  answer,  and  after  a  little  time  she  went 
on  : 

"The  capital  of  the  corporation  is  $5,000,000.  All 
that  was  ever  invested  here  is  $1,000,000.  Hugh  knows. 
He  has  looked  it  up.  They  built  the  first  three  mills 
and  part  of  the  houses  out  of  that  million,  and  the  rest 
have  grown  from  the  surplus  earnings.  The  capitalist 
has  had  a  famous  time.  He  has  drawn  enormous  profits. 
The  workman  has  merely  been  allowed  to  exist.     Evco 


rl4  SPEAKING   OF    ELLEN. 

his  wife  and  children  have  been  compelled  to  labor  Bi 
his  side.  He  and  they  have  produced  this  immense 
property.  The  stockholders  have  taken  their  share.  It 
is  time  he  had  part  of  his  !" 

He  waited  again,  but  she  seemed  to  have  coacluded 
for  the  present. 

"  I  have  a  number  of  trusteeships,"  he  said,  presently 
**  under  which  I  hold  shares  in  these  mills  for  various 
wards  other  than  the  Melbourgs.  1  took  an  oath  in 
every  case  to  protect  the  interests  of  my  clients.  I  have 
asked  the  courts  to  relieve  me  of  these  responsibilities. 
When  I  give  up  my  trusts  I  wish  to  hand  to  my  suc- 
cessors, in  cash,  the  market  value  of  the  shares  on  the 
day  I  was  first  elected  agent.  I  find  that  my  own  prop- 
erty, if  converted  into  money,  will  suffice  for  that  objecL 
Before  we  are  married  I  wish  this  load  lifted  from  my 
conscience." 

Ellen  looked  at  him  strangely. 

"  I  see,"  she  said.  "  You  wish  to  put  all  the  culpability 
on  my  shoulders.  So  far  as  you  are  personally  con- 
cerned, you  mean  to  clear  yourself.  What  you  have 
done  in  my  name  you  will  leave  for  me  to  bear.  It  shall 
be  so.  I  will  buy  all  the  stock  you  wish  to  sell,  and  you 
shall  fix  the  price.  I  should  like,  if  you  please,  to  trans- 
act the  business  at  once." 

Her  tone  and  manner  had  become  so  coldly  distant 
that  he  took  alarm. 

"Ellen,"  he  expostulated,  "you  are  not  speaking  as 
my  promised  wife  should  speak.     I — " 

She  stopped  him  with  a  motion  of  her  hand. 

"  The  certificates  !  I  want  the  stock  you  wish  to  sell  f 
I  am  waiting  !  " 

He  bit  his  lip. 

"The  certificates  are  at  the  Agency.** 


TWO    STRANGE  lUJOlMOS,  315 

"  I  *vll  ro  there." 

Neliher  of  them  spoke  till  they  reached  the  Agency, 
and  then  *io  more  was  said  than  was  necessary  to  com- 
plete the  transfer.     When  it  was  finished  she  said  : 

"  I  would  like  you  to  do  another  thing.  I  made  you  a 
promise — I  said  I  would  marry  you.     I  wish  a  release." 

The  clock  in  the  room  ticked  so  loudly  that  he  won- 
dered what  ailed  it.  He  had  half  expected  the  demand 
so  coldly  stated,  but  that  did  not  lessen  the  pain  of  it. 
His  eyes  grew  hazy. 

"You  are  released,"  he  articulated, 

"I  will  tell  you  why," 

"  You  need  not." 
'Then,  good-byi." 

"  Good-bye  ?"  he  repeated.  "Are  you  going  to  leave 
Riverfall  ?" 

He  could  feel  in  cviry  fibre  of  his  being  under  what  a 
strain  she  was  laboring  as  she  stood  there  hesitating  at 
the  threshold. 

"  I  musi  give  you  my  reasons,"  she  said.  *  I  owe  it  both 
to  you  and  myself.  I  could  not  marry  a  man  who  turned 
Women  and  children  out  of  doors  in  October,  who  cared 
not  if  they  starved,  who  did  let  one  of  them  die — " 

He  sprang  to  his  feet  with  an  exclamation. 

"Ellen.      You  shall  not  r 

"  And  who,"  she  went  on,  as  if  she  had  not  noticed  the 
interruption,  "  keeps  his  pity  for  the  pampered  darlings 
of  the  aristocracy  lest  they  should  soil  their  dainty  hands, 
forsooth,  and  cease  devouring  the  bread  they  steal  from 
the  mouth  of  honest  labor  !  They  have  lost  a  little  of 
their  ill-gotten  gfiins,  and  his  tender  heart  is  bursting 
with  sympathy  !  Hiy  every  pulsation  is  opposed  to  the 
dearest  wishes  of  my  '«oul ;  and  yet  he  told  me  that  h« 
loved  mc  !" 


316  BPEAKIJSG    OF   ELLEN. 

He  wondered  if  he  were  dreaming. 

"  He  did  love  you,  Ellen  ;  he  loves  you  yet ;  he  always 
will." 

She  burst  into  tears  at  that,  and  seemed  so  helpless 
that  he  took  her  in  his  arms,  and  soothed  her  head 
against  his  breast.  When  she  looked  up  he  thought  she 
had  never  seemed  so  strange. 

"  If  you  love  me,  Philip,  why  must  we  part?" 

**  It  was  you  who  asked  it,  not  I,"  he  said. 

**And  you  do  love  me?" 

"  As  my  life  !" 

"And  5^ou  still  wish  to  marry  me?** 

He  gave  undoubted  assent. 

"Then  let  it  be  done  at  once,"  she  said,  composedly, 
rising  and  drying  her  tears.  "  I  have  been  very  miser- 
able, but  I  shall  be  better  after  this.  If  you  will  go  for 
the  license  and  a  minister,  I  will  wait  here." 

He  stared  at  her  as  if  thunderstruck. 

"You  are  certain  that  you  mean  it?" 

"  Yes." 

He  took  her  again  for  one  moment  in  his  amM,  and 
then  departed  on  hi«  errand. 

In  half  an  hour  he  returned  with  the  necessary  docu- 
ment and  clergyman.  Ellen  had  arranged  her  toilet  «t 
the  mirror  and,  in  response  to  his  inquiry,  said  she  "was 
quite  ready.  Two  of  the  servants  were  called  in  as  wit- 
nesses, and  the  bond,  or  knot,  or  whatever  expression 
may  best  suit  the  reader,  was  securely  tied. 

"Where  shall  we  go  ?"  he  asked  her,  when  they  were 
again  alone. 

'*  Nathalie  went  to  New  York,  did  she  not  ?  I  should 
like  to  go  there." 

He  went  to  tell  Hugh  and  Edna  what  had  occurred, 
and  he  did  not  wonder  at  their  amazement.     They  were 


KDNA    MAKES    A    BETEL ATIOV.  817 

hardly  more  astonished  than  he.  Then  he  packed  his 
things,  and  the  evening  train  bore  him  and  his  bride  to 
the  metropolis. 

A  little  past  midnight  the  sound  of  hysterical  laughter 
awoke  the  echoes  in  the  Hotel  Victoria,  and  a  call  at  the 
annunciator  summoned  a  bell-boy  to  Mr.  Westland's 
apartments. 

"  Send  a  messenger  to  Dr.  Odlin  with  all  speed,"  was 
the  order  given. 

Then  the  loud  laugh  broke  out  again,  and  there  was 
heard  the  sound  of  a  woman's  voice,  raised  to  an  unusual 
pitch  : 

"lam  worth  three  millions!  lean  buy  anything  I 
want  !  I  am  going  to  live  in  a  palace,  and  have  many 
servants  !     Ha,  ha  !     Ha,  ha  !" 

When  the  physician  arrived  he  administered  a  quieting 
potion,  which  soon  had  its  intended  effect.  Then  he 
talked  a  long  time  with  Westland  about  his  patient,  and 
what  her  history  had  been.  When  he  left  he  said  he 
would  call  again  in  the  morning,  and  added,  in  response 
to  the  husband's  earnest  questions  : 

"  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  this  ;  no,  upon  my  word,  I 
don't.     But  we  shall  see  ;  we  shall  see." 


CHAPTER  XXVIL 

KDKA  MAKES  A  RBVSLATIOM. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ralph  Melbourg  passed  their  second 
honeymoon  in  the  same  cosy  suite  of  apartments  in  which 
they  had  passed  the  latter  part  of  their  first.  Installed 
in  that  place,  the  brido  experienced  a  greater  content 


31^  SPEAKING    OF    ELLEN. 

meot  than  she  had  felt  for  a  long  time.  It  is  doubtless 
true  that  a  bride  ought  to  be  contented  anywhere,  but 
the  fact  remains  that  there  are  discontented  brides  as  well 
as  contented  ones.  Nathalie  was  very  glad  to  be  Ralph's 
wife ;  she  was  pleased  to  get  away  from  the  town  of 
Riverfall,  where  so  much  had  occurred  to  cause  her  pain  ; 
but  she  could  not  forget  her  one  great  Sin,  that  had  so 
nearly  cost  her  her  life.  Ralph  never  alluded  to  it — 
Ellen  had  impressed  the  necessity  too  strongly  on  his 
mind  for  that — but  it  was  ever  present  in  her  thoughts 
Those  days,  so  longed  for,  when  her  husband  should  clasp 
her  in  his  loving  arms,  were  embittered  by  the  constant 
reproaches  of  Memory. 

One  morning  Ralph  received  a  note  from  Philip  West- 
land,  asking  him  to  come  at  once  to  the  Victoria.  It  was 
the  second  day  after  Ellen's  attack,  and  Ralph  was  very 
much  astonished  when  he  learned  of  her  condition.  He 
had  seen  the  announcement  of  the  marriage  in  one  of  the 
newspapers,  and  experienced  a  natural  surprise  that  it 
should  have  occurred  so  quietly  that  not  even  intimate 
friends  like  himself  were  invited.  Westland  met  him  in 
one  of  the  parlors,  and  gave  nim  sufficient  explanations. 
Ellen,  he  said,  was  now  tractable,  but  still  flighty,  and 
required  constant  care.  The  tiresome  months  of  heavy 
responsibility  and  distress  of  mind  had  bore  their  legiti- 
mate fruit.  She  would  require  a  long  rest  and  the  best 
medical  skill.  All  this  Westland  told  Ralph  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  and  the  young  man  evinced  ready  sympathy. 

"  I  wish  you  would  move  down  to  the  block  where  I 
live,"  he  said.  "There  is  a  furnished  suite  next  to  mine, 
in  which  your  wife  would  be  much  better  off  than  here. 
Nathalie  would  be  delighted  to  see  her.  They  think  the 
world  of  each  other,  and  women  understand  women 
better  than  men  do." 


WBfSA   MAKES   A   KEVELATIOV.  319 

Westland  had  a  momentary  struggle.  He  did  not 
/ike  Nathalie.  He  disliked  to  think  of  "his  Ellen"  asso- 
ciating with  her  on  terms  of  intimacy.  But  Ralph's 
words  set  him  to  thinking.  He  wanted  to  do  everything 
to  improve  the  chances  of  his  wife's  recovery.  He  real- 
ized that  she  had  a  deep  regard  for  Mrs.  Melbourg.  The 
Victoria  was  clearly  no  place  for  an  invalid  with  her  dis- 
order. All  of  these  things  passed  through  his  mind  in 
much  less  time  than  it  takes  to  relate  them  ;  and  then 
he  told  Ralph  he  would  see  what  his  wife  said,  and  act 
accordingly. 

Mrs.  Westland  sat  in  her  sitting-room,  clad  in  a  bright 
morning-gown,  and  with  her  hair  becomingly  arranged, 
when  the  gentlemen  entered.  A  maid  who  had  been 
hastily  engaged  had  attended  to  the  details  of  her  mis- 
tress* toilet,  and  disappeared  discreetly. 

"Ellen,"  said  Westland,  approaching,  "here  is  Ralph  ; 
Mr.  Melbourg,  you  know  ;  Nathalie's  husband." 

Mrs.  Westland  rose  to  greet  Ralph,  and  gave  him  her 
hand  with  every  sign  of  pleasure.  He  saw  nothing  that 
resembled  insanity  in  the  calm  gaze  that  met  his,  and 
his  wonder  mcreased. 

"I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,"  she  said.  "I  want  you 
to  notice  that  there  is  nothing  the  matter  with  me.  My 
husband  has  had  a  physician  here  several  times,  who 
insists  that  I  am  not  well,  and  that  I  require  medicine, 
rest  and  care.  Now,  I  appeal  to  you,  did  you  ever  see  a 
person  who  looked  healthier  or  more  rational  ?" 

Ralph  thought  he  never  had,  but  he  used  caution  fo< 
all  that. 

"  I  think  you  are  recovering  rapidly,"  he  said. 

"  Recovering  ?"  she  echoed.  "  Recovering  from  whatf 
I  am  sure  I  have  not  been  ill.  I  have  just  eaten  a  good 
breakfast.     My  temperatn;«   appears  normal.      Perhaps 


320  SPEAKING    OP   ELLKW. 

you  think  there  is  something  the  matter  with  my  mind. 
Put  me  to  any  test  you  please.  Your  name  is  Ralph 
Melbourg.  You  are  married  to  Miss  Nathalie  LaVerre. 
This  is  the  Hotel  Victoria,  I  am  Mrs.  Philip  Westland. 
What  ails  me?     I  really  would  like  to  know." 

There  was  nothing  in  this  to  excite  suspicion.  Ralph 
said  as  much  in  the  look  that  he  gave  Westland,  who  sat 
a  little  to  the  rear  of  his  wife,  where  she  could  not  see 
his  expression.  The  husband  nodded,  and  intimated  by 
a  gesture  that  he  would  prove  his  case, 

"  My  wife  is  the  principal  owner  in  the  Riverfall  mills, 
you  know,"  he  said. 

Ellen  lifted  her  head  and  her  eyes  brightened. 

"Yes.  I  have  an  income  like  a  princess  !  I  am  worth 
three  millions  !  When  we  leave  here  I  shall  have  many 
servants  to  attend  me.  Three  millions!  Do  you  know 
what  those  words  mean — three  millions  t" 

The  chord  was  struck  at  last.  Ellen  had  never  spoken 
like  that.  The  mental  disturbance  was  evident.  West- 
iiand's  face  grew  whiter  as  he  proceeded, 

"  My  wife's  tenants  have  been  given  free  rent  since  the 
mills  opened." 

"And  why?"  asked  Ellen,  sharply.  "Why  should 
they  not  pay  rent  as  well  as  others?  They  have  had 
their  hours  of  labor  reduced,  too  !  Instead  of  going  to 
work  at  half-past  six  in  the  morning  they  come  idling 
along  at  seven.  How  can  I  compete  with  other  manu- 
facturers  if  placed  at  such  a  disadvantage  ?  Those  spin- 
ners and  weavers  want  everyt'iing  !  But  they  shall  not 
have  it  !     I  must  make  my  dividend  !" 

Not  at  all  like  the  Marchioness  were  these  expressions  ; 
not  in  the  least  like  the  gentle  lady  who  had  slept  in  th« 
officers'  tent  on  Riverfall  Common. 

"  I  came  to  ask  you  to  visit  Nathalie,"  he  said,  to  di« 


EDNA   MAKES    A    REVELATION.  S2l 

vert  her  attention.  **  We  live  in  Eleventh  street,  in  a 
pleasant  apartment  house,  and  would  be  delighted  to 
have  you  and  your  husband  pass  a  time  with  us.  Na- 
thalie has  missed  you  sadly." 

The  set  look  vanished  from  Mrs.  Westland's  face,  and 
she  became  herself  again 

"Shall  we  go,  Philip  ?"  she  asked.  "I  think  I  should 
like  it  very  much." 

He  gladly  assented  and,  after  a  little  further  conversa- 
tion, called  the  new  maid  and  left  her  with  his  wife, 
while  he  went  with  Ralph  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments. The  suite  was  promptly  engaged,  and  that  same 
afternoon  he  left  the  marble  entrance  of  the  Victoria 
with  his  wife  on  his  arm.  When  he  escorted  her  to  a 
carriage  that  was  in  waiting,  she  assumed  the  air  of  an 
empress,  and  inspected  the  equipage  at  a  distance  with 
arrogance.  Perceiving  a  speck  of  dust  on  the  cushion 
she  declined  to  enter  the  vehicle  until  it  was  removed. 
When  she  was  at  last  seated,  she  remarked,  in  a  tone 
evidently  meant  for  the  by-standers,  that  she  would  soon 
have  a  turn-out  of  her  own,  beside  which  this  would  be  a 
very  ordinary  affair. 

Nathalie  welcomed  her  with  open  arms,  and  the  two 
girls — for  such  they  still  were,  marriage  or  no  marriage — 
seemed  very  happy  to  be  again  with  each  other.  The 
two  suites  had  been  thrown  together,  and  the  families 
were  to  be  practically  one  for  the  present.  The  gentle- 
men left  their  wives  together,  and  Ellen  took  Nathalie 
into  her  confidence. 

"I  have  had  some  strange  dreams,"  she  said,  "and 
because  I  cried  out  in  one  of  them,  my  husband  insists 
that  I  am  ill  and  need  a  physician.  I  dreamed  the 
strangest  things  of  you.  I  thought— the  idea  ! — that  you 
and  I  were  mill  girls  in  Riverfall,  and   had  to  work  like 


i 


322  SPEAKING    OF   ELLBN. 

the  rest,  and  live  in  the  poorest  lodgings  And  I 
thought  you  came  to  me  one  day,  and  confessed  that 
you  had  been  living  with  a  lover,  and  were  not  married 
at  all  '  Oh,  dear  !  I  don't  know  what  I  didn't  dream ! 
It  was  just  like  a  nightmare.  I  thought  there  was  a 
strike,  and  that  we  slept  in  a  tent,  and — "  She  paused  a 
moment.  "  Sometimes  it  seems  so  real  I  almost  think  it 
true.  But  I  know  I  am  very  rich,  and  so  it  could  not 
have  been  ;  no,  it — could — not — have — been  !" 

She  pressed  her  hand  to  her  forehead,  and  seemed  glad 
to  assure  herself  that  the  obnoxious  vision  was  a  deceit* 

"  I  do  not  think  I  could  endure  to  be  poor,"  she  went 
on.  "  Of  course,  those  who  are  born  so  grow  up  in  it, 
and  get  used  to  the  condition;  but  it  would  kill  me,  I  am 
"^ure.  To  work,  work,  work,  early  and  late  ;  to  slpep  in 
iOarely  furnished  rooms  ;  to  eat  the  food  they  have  to  eat 
— I  would  rather  die.  And  yet  I  dreamed  that  I  was  one 
of  them  !" 

She  shuddered  visibly  at  the  recollection. 

At  Riverfall  things  went  on  as  usual.  Agent  Mayfield 
became  deservedly  popular  with  his  employes,  and  h6 
began  to  make  figures  that  showed  the  possibility  of  a 
dividend,  even  at  the  scale  of  wages  he  was  paying.  A 
new  intelligence  ran  through  all  the  work  in  the  Great 
Central  mills.  The  purchasing  was  done  by  a  new 
superintendent,  a  Mr.  Byrne,  who  was  an  expert  in  such 
matters.  The  quality  of  the  product  was  improved  and 
the  waste  lessened.  All  the  men  and  women  (there  were 
no  children  at  work  now)  did  their  best  to  make  th« 
business  successful. 

With  Ellen  domiciled  at  the  Melbourgs',  it  was  easy 
for  Westland  to  run  down  occasionally  in  the  morning, 
and  spend  a  few  hours  looking  after  his  work,  catching 
the  afternoon  train  again  in  time  to  reach  New  York  at 


XDNA   ILLKBS   A    KFTELATIOV.  3SS 

night.  Being  acting-president,  h*-  had  fully  as  much  to 
do  in  the  city  as  in  the  factory  village,  and  he  soon  found 
that  Hugh  was  equal  to  any  emergency  in  the  position 
that  he  held.  The  affairs  of  the  corporation  began  to 
assume  a  prosperous  appearance. 

Edna  remained  with  Mollie  at  the  Riverlall  House, 
where  Mayfield  saw  her  daily.  She  was  very  happy  in 
the  love  of  this  good,  honest  man,  and  she  put  no 
obstacles  in  his  way  when  he  proposed  an  early  maniage. 

"  Since  Philip  and  Ralph  have  preceded  us,"  he  said 
to  her  one  day,  "we  seem  very  lonely  standing  here  on 
the  deserted  shore.     When  shall  we  join  them?" 

She  answeied  that  she  would  leave  it  all  to  him  ;  and 
he  replied  that  the  very  quickest  hour  possible  would  be 
much  too  far  away  to  suit  his  wishes. 

"  A  blind  girl,"  she  whispered,  clinging  to  him.  "  How 
could  you  have  fallen  in  love  with  me  ?" 

"  I  only  know  I  did,"  he  answered,  "and  I  think  it  was 
the  first  time  I  saw  you,  too  ;  that  day  I  was  sent  by  the 
committee  to  ascertain  if  there  was  anything  less  hard 
than  flint  in  the  heart  of  a  mill-agent  Now,  what  about 
the  wedding?" 

It  was  soon  decided  that,  as  Nathalie  and  Ellen  had 
been  married  without  display,  they  could  do  no  better 
than  follow  the  example.  Early  in  December  they  took 
the  vows  before  one  of  the  Riverfall  ministers,  and  that 
same  night  they  found  themselves  in  one  of  the  quiet 
hotels  of  the  metropolis. 

"  My  wife  !"  exclaimed  Mayfield,  tenderly,  when  the 
door  was  closed  that  shut  out  all  the  world  and  all  the 
gods  but  Hymen.  "My  wife  1  There  is  no  happiness 
on  earth  equal  to  calling  you  by  that  name." 

She   hesitated    a  moment  to  let  him  clasp  her  in  bis 


324  SPEAKING    Ojf   ELLEN. 

arms,  though  she  knew  well  they  were  outstretch*^  ;o 
receive  her. 

"  You  have  faith  in  me,"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone.  "  Yow 
do  not  think  I  would  deceive  you  ?" 

"Never  I"  he  cried.     "  I  could  swear  it !" 

**  But — Hugh — I  have  done  so." 

He  stared  at  her  face,  on  which  rested  a  smile  and 
©ould  make  nothing  of  her  confession. 

'•  You  thmk  me  what  I  am  not,  Hugh.  It  is  time  y»u 
knew  the  truth." 

It  was  a  cruel  test,  but  he  came  out  unscathed. 

"Tell  me  anything  you  please,  my  wife,"  he  said.  **I 
know  you  to  be  pure  and  good.  Whatever  else  you  have 
to  communicate,  I  will  hear." 

She  put  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  drew  the  blond 
beard  to  her  cheek. 

"Can  you  guess  nothing?" 

"'  Nothing,"  he  answered.  **  I  am  not  good  at  riddles 
Tell  me." 

"Well — "  She  drew  a  long  breath  and  hugged  him 
closer.     "  I — can — see  !" 

For  the  briefest  moment  he  thought  she  had  caught 
Ellen's  malady,  but  a  look  at  her  placid  face  drove  the 
suspicion  away. 

\     '*  You  can  see  ?"  he  repeated,  wonderingly.    "  You  have 
not  been  blind  at  all  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  have.  When  I  was  twelve  years  old  my 
sight  failed.  The  doctors  have  always  feared  to  operate 
on  my  eyes,  though  they  agreed  that  natural  means  might 
accomplish  my  restoration  in  time.  From  that  age  until 
a  few  weeks  ago  I  could  not  tell  light  from  darkness. 
But  that  night  in  the  mill,  when  the  soldiers  fired,  I  saw 
the  flash  of  their  muskets  and  the  gleam  of  the  polished 
barrels,  as  they  were  aimed  toward  ws.     The  fright,  thff 


A  JOUmTBT    AND    EETUBW.  385 

tension,  the  strain  and  the  sudden  jar  did  it.  An  occu- 
list  who  has  been  down  to  visit  me  says  I  shall  soon  see 
as  well  as  any  one.  At  present  I  can  distinguish  objects 
quite  clearly,  and  you  cannot  imagine  how  happy  it 
makes  me  !  * 

He  shared  her  joy  to  the  utmost 

"  And  this  is  what  made  you  seem  so  gay  that  mom« 
ing,"  he  said,  "  when  I  wanted  to  scold  you  for  hard- 
heartedness." 

"  Yes,"  she  laughed.  "  I  had  seen  the  pictures  in  the 
jailor's  sitting-room — I  never  saw  such  beautiful  ones, 
though  they  probably  cost  very  little — and  I  knew  the 
jailor's  wife  had  brown  eyes,  and  that  you  had  a  blond 
beard.  I  could  tell  that  the  sky  was  fair,  and  that  the 
leaves  were  gone  from  the  trees.  I  had  become  quite 
reconciled  to  blindness,  but  it  is  such  a  blessing  to  see  !" 

He  strained  her  to  his  heart. 

**  The  future  will  be  brighter  for  us  both,  my  Edna," 
he  said.  "  There  is  now  but  one  cloud  hanging  over  us 
— Ellen's  trouble." 

"  Ah,  poor  Ellen  1"  she  sighed.  **  We  must  go  to  riait 
her  to-morrow.** 


CHAPTER  XXVIII, 

A  JOURNEY   AND   RETURN. 

Dr.  Odlin  advised  that  Mrs.  Westland  be  humored  lo 

every  desire  that  was  not  positively  unreasonable,  and 
her  husband  and  friends  acted  accordingly.  She  devel- 
oped a  great  love  for  fine  clothing  and  jewelry,  and 
v«ry  handsome  indeed  she  looked  when  th«   m&di&to9 


3d6  ttHAXmG  OF  ELLBN. 

had  done  their  best.  She  asked  to  be  taken  constantly 
to  theatres  and  operas,  with  which  she  was  much  de- 
lighted. She  had  never  till  now  seen  anything  of  the 
kind,  and  the  brilliant  stage  pictures  gave  her  the  same 
kind  of  pleasure  that  a  child  has.  In  the  large  dry 
goods  stores  and  millinery  establishments  her  face  soon 
became  familiar,  and  the  clerks  at  Tiffany's  learned  that 
whatever  she  happened  to  fancy  was  sure  to  be  taken. 
She  showed  taste  in  her  purchases,  and  her  mental  con- 
dition might  never  have  been  suspected  but  for  her 
favorite  phrases : 

"  I  am  worth  three  million  dollars,  and  can  buy  any- 
thing I  please  1  Do  you  know  what  is  meant  by  three 
millions  ?" 

Westland  was  thankful  for  one  thing.  She  liked 
Nathalie's  company  so  well  that  she  did  not  immediately 
demand  to  be  taken  to  the  *'  palace  "  of  which  she  never 
tired  of  talking.  There  was  not  a  residence  in  the  city 
that  would  have  equalled  her  description  of  the  one  she 
intended  to  have  as  soon  as  her  visit  with  her  friends 
was  over.  Indeed,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  pro- 
duce anywhere  the  terrestrial  paradises  she  used  to  de- 
scribe, and  they  varied  in  their  composition  with  each 
change  in  her  mood.  One  day  the  buildings  were  to  be 
of  brown  stone  ;  another  of  marble  ;  and  again  of  onyx. 
The  sun  was  to  shine  on  the  grounds  perpetually,  out  of 
a  cloudless  sky.  Birds  were  to  sing  without  ceasing  in 
the  ever-green  trees.  Servants  were  to  be  ready  to  re- 
spond to  every  wish  as  soon  as  it  was  made  known. 
Gayly-caparisoned  steeds  were  to  draw  carriages  truly 
royal  in  design,  with  coachmen  and  footmen  in  gorgeous 
liveries.  And  at  the  end  she  never  failed  to  say  some- 
thing like  this  : 

**  I  own  six  immense  mills  at  Riverfall,  which  have  two 


A  jrocmrsT  asd  bstubs:  SiT 

thousand  people  in  them.  The  corporation  has  only 
paid  twelve  per  cent.  ;  it  must  pay  twenty.  The  era- 
^ioyes  now  work  but  ten  hours  ;  they  must  work  eleven. 
I  shall  want  a  great  deal  of  money." 

She  used  to  say  to  Nathalie  that  when  she  went  to  hef 
"palace"  she  should  go  with  her,  and  share  in  all  its 
splendors.  But  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mayfield  called  she 
touched  their  hands  mincingly,  and  assumed  an  air  of 
dignity. 

"  I  think  you  were  formerly  an  employe  in  my  mills,** 
she  said  to  Hugh.  "  I  am  very  glad  you  have  prospered, 
and  I  congratulate  you  on  your  marriage  ;  but  of  course 
there  is  such  a  difference  in  our  station  that  you  cannot 
expect  me  to  treat  you  as  equals.  You  are  very  worthy 
people,  I  have  no  doubt.      I  wish  you  good-morning." 

As  Ellen  left  the  room  tears  filled  Edna's  eyes. 

*'  Even  the  restoration  of  my  sight  hardly  compen- 
sates for  this  sad  event,"  she  said  to  the  others.  "To 
think  she  could  use  such  words  to  Hugh — it  seems  in- 
credible." 

Mayfield  looked  serenely  content, 

"  We  cannot  weigh  the  words  of  one  whose  mind  is  so 
distraught,"  he  said.  "  When  she  becomes  herself  again 
she  will  treat  me  in  the  old  way.  What  advice  does  the 
doctor  give  ?"  he  added,    turning  to  Westland. 

"  That  we  must  exercise  patience,  and  not  cross  her 
any  more  than  is  necessary.  He  believes  her  phantasies 
will  have  their  run  and  vanish  as  they  came.  God  grant 
it  may  be  so  !" 

Nathalie  was  very  shy  when  she  met  Edna.  The  sight 
of  her  brought  back  too  vividly  that  awfuZ  night  in  the 
mill,  when  she  took  her  helpless  friend  into  such  mortal 
peril.     But  Edna  had  many  words  of  comfort. 

"  Do  you  ever  think  how  much  I  owe  you  ?    I  might 


3S8  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

have  been  blind  to  my  dying  day  had  it  not  been  fof 

that  adventure.  The  occulists  say  that  nothing  but  the 
combination  of  fright,  darkness,  terrible  noise  and  gun- 
flashes  would  have  been  likely  to  give  me  back  my  vis- 
ion. It  is  you  that  I  must  thank — under  Heaven — that 
I  can  look  on  the  blessed  sunlight  and  the  dear  face  of 
my  hu^and." 

Nathalie  began  to  cry. 

*'  I  am  very  glad  if  that  great  mistake  of  mine  has 
brought  good  to  any  one,"  she  sobbed.  "  I  meant  it  all 
so  well,  and  all  at  once  I  saw  how  wrong  it  was.  And 
you  are  so  kind  to  forgive  me  !  I  thought  I  should  have 
to  go  to  prison  for  the  rest  of  my  life,  or  perhaps  be 
hanged  !  But  nobody  says  a  cross  word  to  me,  and 
sometimes  it  seems  as  if  that  were  harder  to  bear  than 
punishment." 

Mrs.  Mayfield  comforted  her  with  assurances  that  hef 
friends  appreciated  the  unselfishness  of  her  motives, 
and  said  it  was  time  she  resumed  her  old  cheerfulness. 

"  No  one  has  suffered  by  your  connection  with  that 
plot,"  she  said.  "  If  you  had  not  consented  to  operate 
the  battery  some  one  else  would  have  done  it,  and  per- 
haps every  mill  in  the  town  would  have  been  destroyed. 
You  did  a  noble  act  when  you  took  that  midnight  jour- 
ney to  cut  the  wires.  For  myself,  I  have  received  too 
much  benefit  from  it  to  scold  you,  and  you  were  the 
only  person  hurt.  I  think  you  a  little  heroine,  and  I 
shall  love  you  as  long  as  I  live  !" 

Mayfield  made  his  wedding  trip  a  short  one,  as  there 
were  many  things  to  be  done  before  January,  when  he 
would  have  to  devote  a  large  part  of  each  day  to  his 
new  duties  at  the  State  House.  Edna  was  content  to  go 
wherever  he  went,  for  her  life  was  bound  up  in  her  hus- 
band. They  established  themselves  at  the  Agency,  for  the 


▲  JOI7RNET    AND    RETUKlSr.  330 

hu.'iise  belonged  by  custom  to  the  agent,  and  their  lives 
glided  on  thenceforth  with  scarcely  a  ripple  on  its  placid 
stream.  There  was  much  to  do — much  for  her  as  well 
as  for  him.  The  mill-girls  began  to  confide  in  her, 
somewhat  as  they  had  done  in  the  Marchioness.  She 
became  the  custodian  of  their  secrets — the  confidant  of 
their  joys  and  sorrows.  She  taught  the  mothers  many 
inexpensive  ways  to  brighten  their  homes.  She  gave 
some  of  them  much-needed  lessons  in  cleanliness.  She 
saw  personally  that  the  children  were  dressed  suitably 
to  attend  the  village  schools — that  their  little  feet  were 
dry-shod  and  their  fingers  encased  in  warm  mittens. 
She  threw  rum  bottles  out  of  windows,  and  read  tho 
fathers  of  several  families  a  lecture  they  did  not  soon 
forget.  And  it  was  so  pleasant  to  do  all  this,  so  de- 
lightful to  use  her  newly-regained  sight  in  uplifting 
those  about  her. 

"They  will  forget  Ellen  in  their  admiration  for  you, 
little  wife,"  said  Hugh,  one  evening,  as  she  was  telling 
him  of  her  day's  experience. 

"  No,  they  will  never  do  that,"  she  answered. 
**  There  will  be  but  one  Ellen  in  Riverfall.  They  ask 
about  her  every  day,  and  the  tears  come  into  their  eyes 
when  I  tell  them  she  is  still  unrecovered.  They  ar« 
learning  to  love  me — and  I  am  so  glad  I  can  help  them— • 
but  I  cannot  fill  Ellen's  place.  Heaven  speed  the  day 
when  she  can  resume  it !" 

So  the  weeks  wore  away,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  Jan 
xiary  Dr.  Odlin  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  Ellen  required 
a  change  of  scene,  and  that  a  southern  trip  wouid  prob- 
ably prove  beneficial.  At  Westland's  earnest  request  Mr. 
and  Mrs  Melbourg  agreed  to  join  him  in  a  journey  to 
Florida.  He  did  not  like  to  take  such  a  responsibility 
upon  himself  as  to  remove  his  wife  not  only  from  t)ui 


330  SPEAKING  OF  ELLLEH. 

sights  to  which  she  had  become  accustomed  but  from 
the  faces  also.  The  party  made  the  trip  by  easy  stages, 
stopping  several  days  at  Washington,  Savannah  and 
other  points  en  route,  and  reached  Jacksonville  in  about 
9.  fortnight. 

For  some  days  Ellen  seemed  quite  content  in  the  semi- 
tropical  atmosphere.  She  walked  and  rode  a  good  deal, 
and  sat  on  the  great  piazza  of  the  hotel  until  late  at 
night,  talking  with  a  buoyancy  of  spirits  that  gave  no  in- 
dication of  her  malady.  Then  they  noticed  that  she  gradu- 
ally grew  sombre,  responding  reluctantly  when  spoken  to, 
and  preferring  to  sit  by  herself  whenever  the  opportun- 
ity offered.  She  no  longer  cared  to  go  to  ride,  or  to 
bear  music  or  conversation.  She  became  melancholy  to 
a  marked  degree.  When  asked  if  anything  was  the  mat- 
ter she  always  responded  in  the  negative,  but  her  actions 
disputed  the  assertion.  Her  friends  became  alarmed,  and 
would  not  leave  her  for  one  minute  entirely  alone. 

One  morning,  at  the  breakfast  table,  she  astonished 
them  with  this  question  : 

"  Why  does  that  colored  man  always  wait  on  usf  We 
never  wait  on  /ii'm." 

Westland  explained,  as  well  as  he  could,  that  the  man 
was  employed  by  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel  to  do  this 
work,  and  received  pay  for  it.  \ 

"But  he  is  always  busy,  while  we  do  nothing,"  shd 
persisted.  "  How  can  it  be  right  that  some  people  should 
always  be  served  and  that  others  should  always  serve 
them  ?  I  feel  that  it  is  wrong — that  I  am  assisting  at  an 
injustice  ;  and  I  want  that  man  to  sit  at  this  table  and 
let  me  wait  on  him  as  he  has  waited  on  me." 

He  persuaded  her  to  finish  her  breakfast,  which  was 
being  taken  in  the  public  room,  saying  that  he  would 
arrange  the  matter  later.    Then  he  explained  the  situ* 


A  JOnSNEl    AKD   BSTUKT.  t8| 

ation  to  the  chief  steward,  who  readily  gave  hira  a  small 
dining-room  on  the  next  floor,  to  which  another  break* 
fast  was  sent.  The  part  he  was  to  play  was  shown  to 
the  darky,  who  smiled  broadly  when  a  handsome  tip 
was  placed  in  his  palm. 

"Golly!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  nebber  seed  nothin*  like 
this  afo'.  Niggers  waited  on  by  white  folks!  Dat  am 
mighty  queer,  now,  ain't  it  ?" 

When  he  was  seated  at  the  table  and  warned  against 
any  further  manifestation  of  levity,  Mrs.  Westland  was 
sent  for.  She  poured  the  man's  coffee,  and  handed  him 
the  edibles  in  the  order  required,  with  unmoved  coun- 
tenance, standing  behind  his  chair  when  not  otherwise 
engaged,  as  she  had  seen  him  do.  It  was  only  with  a 
great  effort  that  Westland  could  keep  back  the  tears  at 
ihe  pathetic  spe-ctacle,  for  he  was  in  no  mood  to  see  its 
numerous  features.  When  the  colored  brother  had 
br\  :fasted  and  departed,  she  came  to  her  husband  and 
sat  en  his  knee. 

**  Philip  dear,  why  does  that  man  wear  poor  clothes, 
when  you  v.'ear  fine  ones?  He  labors  all  day,  wnile  you 
rest.     I  cam. :.:  understand  why  this  should  be." 

Then  he  told  her  about  property  and  its  privileges,  as 
kindly  and  thoughtfully  as  if  she  were  a  five-years  child 
and  learning  her  first  lesson.  He  said  those  who  labored 
were  paid  stipulated  sums,  which  they  could  do  with  as 
they  pleased.  Some  persocs  spent  their  money  as  fast 
as  they  received  it,  and  were  consequently  always  com- 
pelled to  labor  on  account  of  their  improvidence.  Others 
put  part  of  their  wages  into  investments,  and  thus  be- 
came wealthy.  If  they  saved  more  than  they  used,  it 
descended  to  their  children,  as  her  father's  had  done. 

She  listened  intently  to  every  word. 

"And  some  people  can  compel  other  peoole  to  do  all 


33d  SPEAsma  of  ellen. 

their  work  ?    And  I  am  one  of  them  ?"  she  asked,  as  iie 

concluded. 

"Yes." 

"  But  that  cannot  be  right,  Philip,  No,  I  am  sure  of 
it.  We  have  led  a  pleasant  life  at  tnis  hotel,  but  it  has 
made  much  labor  for  others.  While  we  have  rested  on 
the  piazzas,  they  have  been  in  the  hot  kitchens,  preparing 
our  meals.  When  we  have  returned  from  rides,  they 
have  had  our  horses  to  groom  and  our  carriage  to  wash. 
It  is  all  wrong.  I  want  you  to  take  me  where  I  can  do 
my  share.     I  cannot  be  contented  here  another  day." 

It  was  a  change  ;  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  that ; 
but  he  did  not  know  yet  whether  to  be  glad  or  sorry. 

"  What  can  my  little  wife  do  ?"  he  asked,  tenderly, 
"  When  ladies  are  married,  it  is  for  their  husbands  to 
furnish  their  support,  and  that  is  what  I  wish  to  do  for 
you.  My  business  is  at  New  York  and  Riverfall,  and  if 
you  desire  we  will  go  back  there  where  I  can  attend  to 
it.  You  will  make  me  a  loving  companion,  and  I  will 
gladly  work  for  both." 

She  kissed  him  on  the  lips. 

*'  Oh,  let  me  help!"  she  said.  "  I  want  very  much  to  be 
of  use.  I  feel  like  a  thief  when  I  eat  only  what  others 
have  earned,  and  wear  only  what  others  have  produced. 
Let  me  help  you,  Philip,  and  I  shall  be  happy  again." 

The  next  day  the  party  started  to  return  north.  It 
was  raining  when  they  took  the  carriage  at  the  hotel 
entrance,  and  Ellen's  sympathy  for  the  driver  who  had 
to  sit  out  in  the  shower  nearly  made  them  lose  the  train. 
The  positive  assertion  of  the. man  himself  that  he  pre- 
ferred to  be  there  was  needed  to  assure  her,  but  she 
talked  all  the  way  of  the  poor  fellow  who  was  getting 
wet  to  oblige  people  who  never  did  anything  to  oblige 
him.     On  the  train  her  thoughts  flew  to  the  engineer 


▲  JOUKNET   AND  KETURN.  333 

and  fireman,  who  must  sit  up  all  night  to  watch  over 
the  safety  of  passengers  who  never  sat  up  and  watched 
over  anyone.  Why  was  it  thus  ?  she  asked  Westland, 
over  and  over,  and  his  answers,  though  ingenious,  never 
quite  satisfied  her.  It  was  surely  wrong,  she  said,  that 
those  who  did  nothing  should  have  better  treatmeat^ 
than  those  who  toiled  without  ceasing.  ' 

When  they  took  the  New  York  steamer  at  Savannah, 
Ellen's  sympathies  broke  out  afresh.  Nothing  could 
prevent  her  wrapping  herself  up  and  patrolling  the  decks 
in  the  keen  air  of  the  sea,  going  from  officer  to  officer 
and  saying  how  sorry  she  was  that  they  had  to  endure 
so  much  that  she  and  others  might  ride  in  comfort  and 
safety.  The  facts  regarding  her  mental  condition  soon 
became  known  and  she  was  treated  by  everybody  with 
the  utmost  politeness.  Before  night  she  made  her  way 
down  to  the  furnace  room,  and  her  deepest  feelings  were 
aroused  as  she  saw  the  men  at  work  in  the  super-heated 
air  of  the  place. 

One  of  the  stokers,  a  good-natured  chap,  was  resting 
a  little  way  from  his  furnace  when  she  addressed  him. 

"Your  work  is  very  hard,  is  it  not,  sir?" 

He  looked  at  the  handsome  lady  and  saw  that  th« 
question  was  put  in  earnest. 

"  Pretty  hard,  mum,"  he  answered. 

**  And  very  hot  ?" 

*'  Pretty  hot,  mum." 

*•  And  very  dirty  ?"  She  looked  at  him  intently.  *•  Are 
you  black  or  white,  sir  ?" 

"  Wall,"  he  chuckled,  as  if  the  idea  amused  him,  "  I'm 
black  when  I'm  at  work,  an'  I'm  pretty  near  white  when 
I'm  washed  up,  though  I  never  gits  it  all  off.  Itdo  stick 
close,  this  coal  dust  ;  yes,  indeed,  it  do." 

She  ooened  her  purse. 


Sd4  SPEAKING   OF   BLLBlff* 

"  Would  you  mind  my  offering  you  a  piece  of  money 
sir  ?     I  know  I  am  troubling  you  with  my  questions." 

"  Not  a  bit, '  he  answered,  touching  his  cap  with  on» 
hand  and  holding  out  the  other  for  the  gratuity.  "  Ye're 
very  kind,  mum,  an'  I'm  obleeged  to  ye.  Ask  me  any 
thin'  ye  like." 

She  saw  that  several  of  the  other  men  were  coming 
sheepishly  nearer,  evidently  wondering  what  the  con 
versation  was  about. 

"Where  do  you  sleep?" 

"In  than"  He  indicated  the  direction.  "In  a  bunk< 
It's  comf table  'nough.     I  don't  find  no  fault  with  that" 

"  You  get  plenty  to  eat  ?" 

"Oh,  yes,  mum.  It  ain't  sirline  steak,  nor  yet  plum 
puddin',  but  it's  good.  A  man  in  this  work  is  alius 
blessed  with  a  appetite,  mum." 

"  How  long  do  you  have  to  work  each  day  ?'* 

He  stopped  to  think. 

"  Thar's  two  sets  of  us.  Between  us,  we  keeps  it  up 
all  the  time.  Thar's  my  pardner,  now  ;  him  as  isopenin' 
th'  furnace  door.  We  uses  lots  of  coal,  an'  we  keeps  at 
it.  We're  either  workin'  or  eatin'  or  sleepin',  when  we're 
at  sea,  all  the  time.     Yes,  that's  about  it,  mum." 

She  waited  a  little. 

•'They  must  pay  you  very  high  wages  to  do  such 
hard,  confining  labor  ?" 

He  laughed,  respectfully  though. 

*'  Wall,  it's  not  so  very  high,  mum.  Twenty  an' 
coard." 

"Twenty — dollars?^ 

"  Yes,  mum." 

"  A— a  day  ?" 

'*Well,  no,  mum,"  said  the  man,  snuch  amused 
"Twenty  a  month  is  our  wages.'" 


A  /OUEKEY   AND    SKTUSir.  Ml 

She  looked  to  see  if  he  were  jesting. 

"  Twenty  dollars  a  month  !  Less  than  a  dollar  a 
day  !" 

*'  Yes,  mum,  an'  plenty  of  men  arter  the  job  if  we  don't 
want  it.      'Scuse  me,  mum,  but  It's  my  turn  at  the  fire." 

She  watched  him  open  the  great  door  and  throw  shovel- 
ful after  shovelful  of  coal  into  the  yawning  hell.  Another 
of  the  stokers  came  to  take  the  seat  he  had  vacated,  and 
she  opened  her  purse  again  with  the  same  result. 

*'  Has  that  man  a — a  family  ?"  she  asked,  indicating 
the  stoker  with  whom  she  had  just  been  talking. 

"  What,  Bob,  mum  ?  Oh,  yes,  he's  got  a  wife  an* 
three  children  in  New  York," 

**  What  supports  them  ?" 

**  Wall,  I  guess  Bob  gives  'em  most  all  he  earns.  Then 
the  woman,  she  takes  in  sewing  ;  an'  one  o'  the  gals, 
I  b'lieve,  tends  in  a  store.  They're  all  right,  mum.  He's 
a  good,  steady  feller,  is  Bob.  But  some  o*  these  stokers 
— wall,  the  whiskey  gets  most  of  it  when  they're  paid  off  1 
An'  their  wives  an'  children — !" 

The  stoker  intimated  that  their  lot  was  not  one  to  be 
envied,  and  Ellen  mentally  agreed  with  him.  She  went 
back  to  the  cabin,  where  she  found  her  husband,  a  little 
perturbed  at  her  long  absence.  She  told  him  where  she 
had  been  and  what  she  had  learned. 

"  It  is  the  same  everywhere,"  she  said,  sadly.  "  The 
people  who  do  the  hardest  and  most  disagreeable  work 
get  the  smallest  wages.  This  is  not  right.  It  cannot 
be.  If  the  fault  is  in  the  laws,  we  must  get  them 
altered." 

The  thought  that  the  laws  could  be  changed  pleased 
her,  and  she  dwelt  upon  it  for  some  time.  In  the  course 
of  their  talk  he  referred  to  Riverfall,  and  she  asked  him 
many  questions  about  that  place,  saying  she  wanted  to 


S36  SPEAKING  OP  ELLEN. 

go  there  as  quickly  as  possible  after  reaching  New 
York,  If  she  owned  as  much  of  the  mill-stock  as  her  hus« 
band  said,  she  surely  could  do  something  to  help  the 
poor  operatives.  He  gave  her  the  required  promise,  and 
•^he  grew  radiant  with  joy. 

On  reaching  the  city  they  went  to  Ralph's  apart- 
ments, where  they  remained  for  a  day,  in  order  to  allow 
Westland  time  to  communicate  with  Mayfield.  He  had 
arranged  a  little  plan  which,  when  revealed  to  Dr. 
Odhn,  met  that  gentleman's  hearty  endorsement.  It 
was  Saturday  evening,  about  five  o'clock,  when  the 
party  that  had  left  Jacksonville  alighted  at  the  Riverfall 
station.  The  streets  in  the  vicinity  were  filled  with 
people,  who  set  up  a  shout  of  delight  when  they  saw  the 
visitors.  One  of  them,  too  impetuous  to  be  restrained, 
called  out,  "  Three  cheers  for  Ellen  !"  which  were  given 
with  a  will. 

Mrs.  Westland  paused  wonderingly  on  the  platform, 
&s  she  perceived  the  demonstration. 

"  Who  are  these  people,"  she  asked,  "  and  why  do  they 
cheer  for  me  ?" 

"  They  are  the  workers  in  the  mills,"  said  her  hus- 
band, "  who  have  assembled  to  welcome  you  nome." 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  puzzled  air. 

*'  Home  ?"  she  repeated, 

"  Yes  ;  home  to  Riverfall ;  to  the  village  where  Ellen 
was  born,  where  she  went  to  school,  where  she  tended  a 
loom  in  the  mill.  Home  to  Riverfall,  where  she  led  the 
great  strike,  and  where  she  met  Philip  Westland.  Do 
you  not  remember?" 

She  was  silent  for  a  moment ;  but  Hugh,  who  now 
came  through  the  crowd,  won  a  pleased  glance  of  rec- 
ognition, 

**  Ellen,"  he  said,  taking  her  hand. 


A   JOUENET  AND  BETnTBN.  331 

*»Hugh  ;  dear,  good,  faithful  Hugh  !" 

It  was  enough.     Westland  spoke  to  the  assemblage. 

"My  friends,  it  gives  great  pleasure  to  Mrs.  Westland 
find  myself  to  look  into  your  faces  once  more.  We  hope 
to  be  for  some  time  among  you  and,  as  my  wife  is  some- 
what tired  from  her  long  journey,  we  must  ask  you  to 
excuse  us  for  the  present." 

There  were  three  cheers  more,  and  then  the  crowd  fell 
back  and  let  them  pass.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melbourg  went 
to  the  Agency  with  Hugh,  and  Westland  walked  with 
his  wife  slowly  down  the  familiar  streets  to  the  house 
where  Ellen  had  lived.  They  ascended  the  stairs  and 
entered  her  sitting-room.  Nothing  was  changed.  It 
was  the  same  room  in  every  respect  that  she  had  left 
three  montlis  before. 

He  waited  for  her  to  speak,  for  on  her  first  words  de« 
pended  everything.  A  mellow  light  filled  her  eyes  as 
Bhe  took  in,  one  after  another,  the  familiar  objects. 
The  plants  had  been  cared  for,  the  room  swept  and 
dusted.     Even  the  canaries  were  singing  in  their  cages. 

"  It  is  my  Home  !"  she  said,  drawing  a  long  breath. 
**  The  dream  is  over.  I  am  Ellen,  the  mill-girl  of  River- 
fall." 

He  waited  still,  overjoyed  to  see  how  calm  she  was. 

"I  thought,"  she  continued,  "  that  I  was  an  heiress*, 
that  I  had  much  money.  I  am  very  glad  it  is  not  true. 
i  shall  go  back  to  work  to-morrow." 

He  ventured  to  tell  her  that  to-morrow  would  be  Sun- 
day. 

"  Will  it  ?"  she  said,  in  great  surprise.  *'  I  thought  by 
the  crowd  in  the  streets  that  to-day  must  be  a  holiday. 
Are  not  the  mills  running  ?" 

He  said  the  mills  shut  down  at  four  o'clock  on  Satur- 
leys  now,  instead  of  at  six,  as  formerly. 


338  SPEAKING   OF   ELLEN. 

"  Ah  !"  she  replied.  "  The  new  agent  must  be  a  very 
kind  man.  But,  perhaps,"  she  added,  thoughtfully,  "  they 
begin  enough  earlier  each  morning  to  make  up  the 
time." 

"  No,"  he  said.  "  They  begin  later.  The  g^tes  open 
at  seven  and  close  at  half-past  five." 

She  seemed  much  pleased,  and  sat  silently  with  her 
hands  clasped  over  one  knee  for  several  minutes. 

Supper  was  sent  to  them  from  the  Riverfall  House,  and 
they  partook  of  it  together.  He  did  not  wish  to  subject 
her  to  further  excitement  on  that  evening,  and  she  very 
willingly  embraced  his  suggestion  that  they  remain  in- 
doors. 

"  I  would  like  to  have  you  stay  as  long  as  you  can," 
she  said.     "  I  am  sure  it  is  not  yet  very  late." 

He  smiled,  and  took  his  marriage  certificate  from  his 
pocket. 

"  Read." 

She  read  it  wonderingly,  and  her  eyes  dilated. 

"  What  month  is  this  ?"  she  asked. 

"  February." 

"  Thirteen  weeks  !"  she  mused.  **  And  I  thought  it 
part  of  the  dream  !" 

"There  is  the  ring  on  your  finger." 

"Yes."  She  turned  the  hue  of  a  carnation.  **  But,  I 
am  not  sure.  I  do  not  remember  it.  No,  I  cannot  ict 
you  remain." 

He  gazed  at  her  tenderly. 

"  And  you  have  slept  next  to  my  heart  every  night  for 
three  months  and  more  !" 

She  looked  much  distressed. 

"I  will  tell  you,"  he  said,  presently;  "we  Will  bs 
married  again." 

She  brijghtened  at  the  suggestion. 


LOOKING   BAOCWiUUX  9B$ 

"Dear  Philip,  I  am  sure  I  did  not  know  what  I  was 
doing  when  I  married  you  before  ;  if,  as  you  believe,  I 
ever  did  so.  I  am  equally  sure  I  know  what  I  am  doing 
now,  and  if  you  wish  I  will  repeat  the  vows*  But  give 
me  a  few  days  to  get  ready." 

"  No,"  he  said,  clasping  her  in  his  arms^  **  I  will  not 
consent  to  even  a  temporary  divorce.  I  insist  that  it 
shall  be  to-night." 

An  hour  later  the  same  clergyman  who  had  officiated 
on  the  previous  occasion  bade  them  join  hands  and  re- 
peat after  him  a  formula.  It  was  in  Ellen's  sitting-room, 
and  two  of  the  lodgers  in  adjoining  rooms  came  in  by 
request  to  act  as  witnesses. 

"  You  no  longer  doubt  that  you  are  ray  wife  T  he  said, 
when  they  were  alone  again. 

"  No,  Philip,"  she  answered.  "  And  with  that  knowl- 
edge there  rolls  away  a  vast  cloud  that  has  enveloped 
me.  I  seem  to  sec  everything  clearly.  Oh,  my  hus- 
band, how  good  you  have  been  to  me  through  the  dark 
days  that  have  passed  away,  let  us  hope — forever  I" 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

LOOKING      BACKWARD. 


It  was  Sunday  morning  in  Riverfall.  The  day  was 
fair — the  fairest  anybody  there  ever  remembered  seeing 
:n  a  February.  The  church-bells  were  ringing  a  call  to 
the  faithful— at  least,  the  sexton  meant  it  so.  But  the 
music  of  the  metal  resolved  itself  in  spite  of  them  into 


S40  8PBA£INa  OF  ELLEH. 

these  words  :  "  Ellen — is — home — again  !   Ellen — is — homi 
again  !" 

A  little  after  ten  a  sensation  ran  through  the  town. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Westland  were  on  the  street !  People  ran 
to  windows  and  stared  around  the  edges  of  curtains. 
Small  boys  tumbled  in  and  out  of  alleys,  in  their  mad 
anxiety  to  see  without  attracting  attention  to  themseJves. . 
The  many  passers  on  the  sidewalks  bowed  politely  or 
touched  their  hats,  and  gave  the  returned  travelers  much 
more  room  than  they  needed. 

"  They  are  going  to  church  !"  raai  the  whisper  through 
the  village.  "  And  to  the  French  church,  too  !"  was 
soon  added,  to  the  general  astonishment. 

Yes,  they  were  going  to  the  French  church,  and  they 
had  not  turned  Catholics,  either.  When  Westland  asked 
his  bride,  that  morning,  whether  she  wished  to  attend 
divine  worship,  she  thought  a  moment,  and  then  said 
there  was  but  one  clergyman  in  Riverfall  whom  she 
would  care  to  hear. 

"  There  was  only  one  who  gave  us  shelter  when  we 
were  houseless,"  she  said.  "  It  would  put  me  in  an 
irreligious  frame  of  mind  to  go  elsewhere,  but  I  would 
really  like  to  hear  good  Father  Laroche." 

The  usher  recognized  them  with  a  smile  and  escorted 
them  to  a  central  pew,  in  which  they  found,  to  their  sur- 
orise,  that  Ralph  and  Nathalie  were  already  seated. 
Ellen  did  not  understand  the  French  language,  and  the 
meaning  of  the  sermon  was  consequently  lost  to  her,  but 
she  felt  a  satisfaction  in  being  there  that  well  repaid  her 
for  going.  The  clergyman  noticed  that  the  special  vis- 
itors to  his  church  received  more  attention  than  was 
given  to  his  discourse  ;  but  he  was  content.  When  the 
services  were  ended,  the  quartette  in  Westiand's  peW 
walked  together  to  the  Agency. 


lOOKlSa   BACKWARD.  S4t 

•*  When  we  get  things  arranged,"  said  Ellen,  "  thera 
are  several  things  that  I  wish  to  do.  I  wish  to  build  a 
very  large  Protestant  church  here  that  will  hold  a  great 
number  of  people,  and  in  which  some  devout  man  shall 
preach  Christianity  with  no  sectarian  bias.  I  want  a  plac« 
'where  any  tired  soul  may  find  spiritual  or  physical  succor 
within  its  walls.  Then  I  would  also  like  to  erect  a  hall, 
spacious  and  attractive,  that  should  always  be  open  to 
the  work-people  for  social  and  recreative  purposes.  Havo 
I  money  enough  to  do  these  things,  Philip  ?" 

Her  husband  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  volun- 
teered the  additional  statement  that  he  cordially  ap- 
proved of  the  plan. 

Dinner  was  taken  with  the  Mayfields,  and  the  reunited 
friends  were  very  happy  together. 

"  It  is  delightful  to  be  with  you  again,"  Ellen  said,  as 
they  lingered  over  their  coffee.  **  Especially  under  such 
auspices,  with  the  future  so  bright  before  us.  I  learn 
that  the  mills  are  all  running  with  shorter  hours,  and 
are  even  making  money.  Philip  says  he  hopes  to  raiso 
the  wages  soon,  besides  the  free  rents  the  people  are 
now  receiving.  We  shall  use  the  profits  for  a  hospital, 
an  evening  school  and  a  library,  all  of  which  we  need 
very  much.  My  husband  agrees  with  me  in  these  things 
Oh,  he  is  a  very  good  man  indeed — for  a  capitalist !" 

She  laughed  brightly  as  she  pronounced  the  epithet, 
but  Westland  grew  sober. 

'*  I  doubt  if  there  is  much  more  of  the  *  capitalist  'left 
in  me  than  there  is  in  my  wife,"  he  remarked.  "  I  have 
been  learning  some  pretty  hard  lessons  during  the  past 
half-year." 

"  For  instance  ?'*  said  Ellen,  gaily. 

"  I  believe,"  he  replied,  '*  that  what  is  called  wealth 
should  never  be  allowed  to  accumulate  in  private  handSj, 


843  aVEJkUNQ  OF  SLLBir. 

beyond  a  given  extent  ;  that  the  natural  increase  ol 
property  in  a  country  should  be  the  heritage  of  all  the 
people  thereof  ;  that  the  State  should  absorb  the 
greater  part  of  private  fortunes  on  the  death  of  the  re- 
puted owners ;  that  no  child  should  be  poorly  fed, 
meanly  clothed,  or  deprived  of  an  education  merely  be- 
cause its  father  is  not  an  able  financier ;  and  that  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  over-production  of  the  necessaries 
of  life  while  a  single  human  being  is  cold  or  hungry." 

Ellen  clapped  her  hands  joyfully. 

"  You  have  learned  the  alphabet !"  she  cried.  "  The 
fest  will  come  easy  now,  never  fear  V* 

He  put  his  hand  on  her  arm. 

"  We  who  sit  at  this  table  have  been  enabled — by  one 
form  or  another  of  chicanery — to  claim  the  ownership 
of  three-fourths  of  Riverfall.  We  must  own  the  rest  as 
soon  as  we  can  get  hold  of  it."  Then,  as  they  looked 
blankly  at  him,  he  added  :  "When  we  get  possession  of 
all  the  stock  of  the  Great  Central  Corporation  we  can 
give  it  back  to  its  rightful  owners — the  people  who  have 
made  it  by  their  labor  in  the  mills." 

Ellen  seemed  t^  hang  on  his  words. 

"Give  it  back  ?"  she  repeated. 

"  Yes.  We  can  establish  here  a  socialistic  community 
in  which  each  resident  will  share  equally  in  the  work 
and  the  benefits  which  arc  derived  therefrom.  The  re- 
sponsibility of  the  ownership  of  millions  is  too  large  for 
any  one  person,  or  dozen  persons,  I  would  like  to  see 
it  put  on  ten  thousand  shoulders." 

His  wife  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck  before  them 
all. 

"  The  idea  is  a  magnficent  one !"  cried  Ralph  Mel- 
bourg,  with  enthusiasm.  "What  say  you,  Eldna,  shall 
we  join  with  thorn  f" 


UOOKTSO   HACEWASD.  Ml 

Mrs.  Mayfield  looked  at  her  cousin.  Her  sight  was 
now  completely  restored,  and  she  bore  no  trace  of  having 
ever  been  blind. 

"  You  forget,  my  dear  Ralph,"  she  said,  "  that  I  am 
penniless.  When  I  married,  I  forfeited  my  father's 
estate,  and  it  became  yours." 

Westland  endorsed  the  statement,  and  said  that  Edna 
had  drawn  nothing  from  the  Melbourg  property  since 
her  wedding-day. 

"But  I  won't  touch  it!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  indig. 
nantly.  "  I'm  not  so  mean  as  that !  I  shall  at  once 
make  it  over  to  you  again." 

"  If  you  do,"  she  answered,  **  I  shall  certainly  embrace 
Philip's  proposal,  so  it  will  amount  to  the  same  thing." 

"No,  it  won't,"  said  Ralph,  "for  it  will  then  be  your 
own  gift,  as  it  ought  to  be.  We're  in  for  it,  Phil. 
Count  in  the  Melbourg  stock,  and  buy  up  the  rest  as 
soon  as  possible." 

Westland  replied  that  he  should  certainly  do  so,  and 
thought  that,  in  the  depressed  state  of  the  stock,  he 
could  make  some  good  bargains,  too.  He  believed  he 
could  secure  the  most  of  it  at  $200  or  undf  . 

"Wouldn't  that  be  robbing  the  poor  owners  ?"  said 
Ellen,  archly.     "  Some  of  them  paid  higher." 

"  I  am  on  a  quest  for  stolen  goods,"  he  answered, 
**and  I  shall  give  no  larger  bounty  to  the  brigands  who 
hold  it  than  I  find  necessary." 

Ellen,  who  had  not  taken  her  arnw  from  his  neck 
pressed  her  cheek  to  his. 

"  Forgive  me  for  a  slanderer,"  she  said.  "There  is  no 
trace  of  the  capitalist  left  in  you.  ' 

"  Perhaps  there  is — a  little,"  he  responded.  **  I  shall 
not  advise  you  to  surrender  every  dollar  you  own,  even 
in  this  righteous  cause,  nor  shall  I  give  up  all  of  mla& 


Oil  SPEAKING  OF  ELLEN. 

While  we  live  under  the  present  social  system — wtiich 
^ven  we  at  this  table  canno*  wholly  overturn  at  our  mere 
caprice — a  certain  amount  of  thoughtfulness  for  our- 
gelves  is  needed.  In  a  country  that  is  lower  than  the 
ddes,  dikes  are  necessary  between  the  people  and  the 
sea.  Some  day  the  government  will  build  all  these 
dikes,  but  at  present  each  must  take  thought  for  his 
own  safety.  We  must,  therefore,  save  back  a  little 
money  for  emergencies." 

His  wife  smiled  into  his  eyes. 

*'  I  shall  not  need  very  much,  for  I  can  always  find  a 
loom  to  tend,"  she  said. 

"  Not  always,"  he  corrected,  "  in  these  days  of  strikes 
and  lockouts.  Though  I  think  the  Riverfall  community 
will  never  refuse  work  to  its  founder,  if  it  comes  to 
that." 

The  last  time  I  visited  Riverfall,  though  I  had  heard 
much,  I  was  astonished  at  the  change  in  its  appearance. 

Rows  of  tasty  cottages,  with  attractive  lawns,  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  dismal  corporation  barracks. 
The  streets  are  very  clean  and  there  are  sidewalks  every- 
where. There  are  fountains  in  the  public  squares. 
Many  new  buildings  have  been  erected,  among  them  a 
church,  a  hall  and  three  mills.  The  mills  are  run  on 
eight-hour  time,  and  the  prices  paid  are  larger  than 
those  at  similar  establishments  elsewhere.  In  a  long 
•walk  that  I  took  about  the  village  I  did  not  see  a  single 
thing  that  denoted  the  grinding  poverty  so  common  in 
most  mill-towns. 

"  We  owes  it  all  to  Mr.  an'  Mrs.  Westland,  sir,*'  said  an 
&ged  man,  who  hobbled  out  of  an  easy  chair  on  one  of 
the  porches  to  give  me  the  information.  "They  used  to 
call  the  wife  *  Ellen*  an'  I've  heard  that  she  likes   th« 


LOOKINO   BAOEWAJUX  34$ 

name  even  now  better'n  any  other.     They  live  in  one  o* 

these  little  cottages,  like  the  rest  of  us,  though  she  had 
three  million  dollars  left  to  her-.  I  tell  you  it  was  a  big 
day  when  she  made  it  all  over  to  the  community.  Now 
everybody  that's  able  to  work  has  plenty  of  everything, 
an'  old  men  like  me  gets  an  allowance  ;  *  put  on  the  re- 
tired list,'  they  calls  it." 

I  asked  him  if  Ellen  had  any  children. 

"  Well,  no,  sir,  not  edzackly  ;  but" — his  voice  dropped 
mysteriously — "she's  workin'  on  some  little  garments, 
an'  I'm  thinkin'-— " 

He  ponted  out  the  fcouse  to  me,  and  I  looked  up  at 
the  sky  that  bent  over  the  humble  roof.  Not  a  cloud 
nor  the  lign  of  ore  could  be  seen  in  all  the  blue  eX*. 
panse 


'tBB  '^3S[3^ 


THE  SELECT  NOVELS 
OF 

MARION  HARLAND 


ALONE.  MY  LITTLE  LOTS. 

MIDDEN  PATH.  PHBMIB'S  TEMPTATION. 

MOSS  SIDE.  THE  EMPTY  HEART. 

HIMESIS.  FROM  MY  YOUTH  UP. 

MIRIAM.  HELEN  GARDNER. 

SUNNY  BANK.  HUSBANDS  AND  HOMES. 

RUBrs  HUSBAND.  JESSAMINE. 

AT  LAST.  TRUE  AS  STEEL. 


"The  Norels  ©f  Marioa  Harlasd  «re  of  sarpAssinf:  ex- 
c«lItoce.  By  iatrimic  power  of  character -drawings  and 
descripriT*  facility,  tkey  hold  the  reader's  attcatioa  with  the 
moat  iataase  iatcrest  aad  fascinatioa." 


All  pmhlUk*d  uniform,  elotb  bound.     Price,  30 

cents  eeck,  mud  semi  FREE  by  mull, 

on  receipt  of  price  by 


Q,  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY.  Publishers 
NEW  YORK 


By 

Mrs.  George  Sheldon  Downs 


Katherisie's  Sheaves 

A  Great  Novel  With  a  Great  Purpose 

Katherine's  Sheaves  is  altogether  delightful,  a  charming  piece  of 
fiction,  a  beautiful  romance.  One  must  admire  the  book  for  its  charac- 
terization, its  brilliant  pictures  of  life,  and  its  dramatic  situations,  but 
still  more  for  its  philosophy  and  wisdom. 

The  story  is  a  dramatic  one,  abounding  in  strong  situations. 

The  plot  is  well  conceived  and  carried  out,  the  style  easy  and  the 
characters  hkable. 

i2mo,  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 


Step  by  Step 


Judged  as  a  story  pure  and  simple,  "STEP  BY  STEP"  is  altogether 
delightful.  But  it  is  not  merely  a  charming  piece  of  fiction.  Ethical  in 
its  nature,  the  miderlying  thought  shows  throughout  the  lofty  purpose 
and  high  ideals  of  the  author,  and  exhales  a  wholesome  atmosphere,  while 
the  element  of  romance  pervading  it  is  both  elevated  and  enriched  by  its 
purity  and  simphcity. 

i2mo.  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 

Gertrude  Elliot's  Crucible 

^;<    It  is  a  readable  story,  clean,  wholesome,  and  high  in  moral  tonfr— ^ 
optimistic  and  constructive.  ; 

It  has  an  alluring  plot,  and  is  well  and  skillfully  worked  out.  The 
incidents  are  dramatic,  and  therefore  always  striking,  and  the  entire 
romance  will  hold  the  attention  of  the  reader. 

i2mo,  Cloth  Bound,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents.  . 

Redeemed 

Dealing  with  divorce — the  most  vital  problem  in  the  world  to-day 
— this  book  tells  how  a  pure-minded  woman  is  divorced  from  her  hus- 
band, up>on  a  flimsy  pretext,  because  he  wishes  to  marry  again.  How 
he  Buffara  when  he  learns  that  he  has  thrown  away  the  true  disinterested 
love  of  a  noble  woman,  and  how  he  craves  that  love  again,  makes  a 
vivid,  forceful  story  of  an  intensely  modem  significance. 

Z2fno,  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 


THE  POPULAR  NOVELS 

OF 

MAY  AGNES  FLEMING 


THE  ACTRESS'  NORINE'S  REVENGE. 

DAUGHTER.  PRIDE  AND  PASSION. 

A  CHANGED  HEART.  QUEEN  OF  THE  ISLE. 

EDITH  PERCIVAL.  SHARING  HER  CRIME. 

A  FATEFUL  ABDUC-  THE   SISTERS   OF 

TION.  TORWOOD. 

MAUDE  PERCY'S  WEDDED  FOR  PIQUE. 

SECRET.  A  WIFE'S  TRAGEDY. 

THE  MIDNIGHT  QUEEN.  A  WRONGED  WIFE. 


Mrs.  Fleming's  stories  have  always  been  extremely  popular. 
Their  delineations  of  character,  lifelife  conversations,  the 
flashes  of  wit,  their  constantly  varj'ing  scenes  and  deeply 
interesting  plots  combine  to  place  their  author  in  an  enviable 
position,  which  is  still  maintained  despite  the  tremendous 
onrush  of  modern  novelists.  No  more  brilliant  or  stirring 
novels  than  hers  have  ever  been  published,  and,  strange  as  it 
may  seem,  the  seeker  after  romance  today  reads  these  books 
as  eagerly  as  did  our  mothers  when  they  first  appeared. 


AH  published  uniform,   cloth  bound.     Price,  50 

cents  each,  and  sent  FREE  by  mail, 

on  receipt  of  price  by 

G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


jTHE  FASCINATING  NOVELS 
or 

Celia  E.  Gardner 


BROKEN  DREAMS  (In  verse).  TESTED. 
COMPENSATION  (In  verse).      TERRACE  ROSES. 
HER  LAST  LOVER.  TWISTED    SKEIN    (In 

RICH  MEDWAY^S  TWO  veiBc). 

LOVES.  A  WOMAN'S  WILES. 

STOLEN  WATERS  (In  verse).    WON  UNDER  PROTEST. 


These  stories  axe  as  far  removed  from  the  sensational  as 
possible,  yet  in  matter  as  well  as  style,  they  possess  a  fascin- 
ation all  their  own.  The  author  makes  a  specialty  of  the 
study  of  a  woman's  heart.  Their  tone  and  atmosphere  are 
high;  the  characterizations  good;  the  dialogue  bright  and 
natural.    Her  books  have  had  an  enormous  sale. 


12  mo.    Clotb  bound.    Price,  SO  cents 

each,  and  sent  FREE  by  mail,  on 

receipt  of  price  by 


G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


THE  CHARMING  NOVELS 

OF 

JULIE  P.  SMITH 


BLOSSOM  BUD.  CHRIS  AND  OTHO. 

COURTING  AND  FARM-  HIS  YOUNG  .WIFE. 

ING.  LUCY. 

KISS  AND  BE  FRIENDS.  TEN  OLD  MAIDS. 

THE  MARRIED  BELLE.  .  WIDOW  GOLDSMITH'S 
THE  WIDOWER.  DAUGHTER. 


Julie  P.  Smith's  books  are  of  unusual  merit,  uncommonly 
well  written,  cleveriy  developed  and  characterized  by  great 
wit  and  vivacity.  They  have  been  extremely  popular,  and 
they  still  retain  to  a  greatjdegree  their  former  power  to  charm. 
Her  pictures  of  farm  life  and  of  rural  conditions  are  wholesome 
and  finely  done.  The  himian  interest  is  never  lacking  from 
her  stories. 


All  pubttsbed  uniform,  cloth  bound.      Price,  SO 
cents  each,  and  sent  FREE  by  wail, 
on  receipt  of  price  by 


G.W.DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


THE  COMPLETE  WORKS 

MARY  J.°  HOLMES 

The  name  of  Mary  J.  Holmes  is  a  household  word 
to  millions  of  readers.  All  her  stories  glow  with  the 
same  love  of  outdoor  nature  and  purity  of  motive  and 
expression.  Her  books  have  sold  in  greater  numbers 
than  almost  any  other  American  novelist — in  fact  her 
stories  have  been  universally  read  emd  her  admirers  are 
numberless.  For  many  years  she  stood  without  a  rival 
in  fiction.  Her  characters  are  always  life-like  and  she 
makes  them  talk  and  act  like  human  beings,  subject  to 
the  same  emotions,  swayed  by  the  same  passions,  and 
actuated  by  the  same  motives  that  are  common  among 
men  and  women  of  everyday  existence. 

Abandoned  Farm,  The  Kitty  Craig 

B«««ie's  Fortune  Lena  Rivers 

Cameron  Pride,  The  Madeline 

Chateau  D'Or  Maggie  Miller 

Connie's  Mistake  Marguerite 

Cousin  Maude  Marian  Grey 

Cromptons,  The  Meadow  Brook 

Dfusy  Thornton  Merivale  Banks,  The 

I>«rknc«s  and  Daylight  Mildred 

Dr.  Hathern's  Daughters  Mildred's  Ambition 

D«ra  Deane  Millbank 

Kdith  Lyle  Mrs.  Hallam's  Companion 

Kdna  Browning  Paul  Ralston 

English  Orphans,  The  Qusenie  Hctherton 

Kthelyn's  Mistake  Rena's  Experiment 

F*rrect  House  Rosamond 

Gretchen  R*e«  Mather 

Homestead  on  the  Hillside  Tempest  and  Sunshine 

Hugh  Worthington  Tracy  Diamonds,  The 

Jessie  Graham  West  Lawn 

40  Vulmmea.        THE  ONLY  COMPLETE  EDITION 

Handsomely  bound  in  cloth.     Price,  50  cents  each  and 
sent  free  by  miul  on  receipt  of  price 

G.   W.   DILLINGHAM   COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


